Blood Rites
by Teoryn
Summary: Only the love of those around us can save us from ourselves and no one knows this better than Raph but of all his brothers he is the least likely to ask for help. Will his brothers be able to reach him in time before he drowns?
1. Chapter 1

Blood Rites

By Teoryn

Disclaimer: I do not own the Turtles and this story is not making any money.

Summery: Times have changed for the turtles and not for the better. Time is cruel and unforgiving thing that has no mercy on any living thing. For those who cannot flow with this change they will find themselves lost in their own misfortune. Only the love of those around us can save us from ourselves and no one knows this better than Raphael but of all his brothers he is the least likely to ask for help. So the question is; will his brothers be able to reach him in time before he drowns or is he lost forever?

A/N: This is just a beginning, it is what it is entitled, a prologue and sets the mood for the rest of the story. Please stay with me and if you like you can skip this first part as the turtles make their debut in the following chapter. Anyway, love to hear what everyone thinks.

Prologue

The pain was incredible, that is if she could really feel pain anymore then, perhaps, it would have been incredible. There was a time not so long ago when she would have screamed in terror at what was happening to her, but that time had also passed. There was a time before all of this that she knew peace and happiness with her family but as each day crawled by, it became nothing more than a passing memory till she wasn't even sure if she had ever been happy. It was like a fleeting dream that teased her conscious mind in the swirling mist of her dreadful present. These moments of happiness were what she was trying to focus on when the tired bulb, leaking dirty light, reflected off the needle that was coming towards her again. The cold steel pierced the skin of her lips again and she grasped desperately at her memories. She could hear a slight popping sound as the needle broke its way through her skin. The girl didn't flinch - she knew better - but that did not stop her from feeling the sting or stop the lurch in her stomach at the feeling of the thread as it scraped its way into her mouth. She unfocused her eyes as she continued to stare at nothing, trying to remember just what her mother had looked like.

"Now, Ally," a soft but harsh sounding voice, whispered into her ear. "You brought this upon yourself. After all, you should know by now that I don't like to hurt you but I will if you leave me no choice. Remember, Daddy loves you."

Her stomach lurched again as the she fought the urge to throw up, however, she did not outwardly respond to him. She had nothing to say to the beast that was in the process of sewing her mouth shut. Alex wasn't even sure what she had done to earn her mouth being sewn shut. She hadn't spoken to the monster since that day he had taken her and proclaimed to be her father; but then again, she really didn't ever have to do anything for him to want to cause her pain. She was little more to him than a living doll for him to play with. He liked to call himself her father, but he was nothing of the sort, just a twisted freak that got pleasure from the pain of others. He didn't even know her name but that really didn't bother her, as Alex never wanted to hear her name on his lips. It was the last part of herself that he couldn't touch, couldn't have. How many had she watched him kill? If she tried Alex knew that she could remember each and everyone of them, names and faces, she could never forget them. One day she would escape and when she did she would see that he would pay for each and every one of them. However, as each year passed she lost a little more hope and a little more of herself as her attempts at escape kept meeting a dismal fate. The man never threatened her life but he would find another that looked like her and he would make her scream in pain and fear till blissful death would finally claim her broken soul. Alex gave no outward sign of life in these moments, she played the part of a dutiful doll, made of porcelain, but this did not mean she was not screaming with the girl in front of her. Each death weighed heavy on her but she had to get away or she would also perish, or worse, lose the last bit of sanity that she still possessed. However, with each failed attempt it became harder for her to find the will to defy him. The cost of her failure was becoming far too high a burden to bear, so much so that a year and a half had passed since her last attempt.

Alex was torn away from her thoughts as the needle pierced her skin once more. She could feel the thread drag along her flesh and she suppressed a whimper. It would only make matters worse if she were to make any sound. She knew that it would only encourage the man, as he would then know it was hurting her. Alex would not allow him that pleasure. Her parents had always raised her to be strong and independent and she wondered what they would say if they had survived. Once again Alex forced the present to fade away to remember the past. If only they had stayed on the main road, if only they had stopped for gas instead of continuing down the road, if only, if only. Those words stung her ears more than the needle and thread. It caused her more dread than the knowledge that the man in front of her was growing tired of her and would most likely kill her soon. She could think of a thousand things her family and she could have done and they would have all lived instead of driving right into this horror story she was now living. More than once she had wished that she had died with them, as that would have been a far kinder fate. Again the present drifted away and she was living that fateful day again.

It had been a beautiful day when they all piled into the car for their road trip. Actually Dad had lost his job and they were out of money again so they were going to drive off into the sunset to find a new beginning. Not everyone would be suited for the life that they led but they were still a happy family. They were a close family, who was happy just to be with each other. This time they were headed to Winnemucca to some obscure family member that was holding a job open for Alex's father, as a miner. For Alex and her little brother Justin it was just a new adventure with him being nine and Alex ten. The trip started out like countless others as they left Los Angeles and crossed the state line, swinging by Las Vegas for a bit of fun. Their parents wanted to make the move a bit of a vacation for the children as it looked like the only way they were going to get one any time soon with the lack of money and all, which had been fine by the children.

Alex smiled fondly at the memory, or at least she would have if she could but the beast had a death grip on her lips as he continued sewing, muttering more to himself than to her. She knew that he didn't expect her to answer so she really didn't pay him any mind and so let the world fade away to the dream that had once been a part of her reality.

They had only spent two days in Vegas before they all piled into the old sedan and headed out again. Civilization slowly gave way to open desert and barren roads. In retrospect they should have never taken highway fifty. There was simply nothing there; the odd ghost town was the most exciting thing that they came across.

Alex gazed out of her window as they approached a new town that seemed to consist of a hotel that was falling apart, a few run down homes and a single gas station that boasted the sign that it was the last for the next two hundred miles. They all laughed at the obvious ploy to get people to buy their gas. Nothing more was said as they drove past and kept going further into the desert, out into nothing but sand and sun.

It didn't take long for the small family to realize their mistake but there was nothing that they could do. It was too far away to walk back and the cell phone would pick up no signal. They were stranded in the dry heat with a vehicle that was useless and very little water. The only thing left for them to do was to start walking and hope another traveller would find them. Her father and mother were worried but they kept the children laughing with the odd joke as they marched on; and it had seemed that they were in luck as an old Ford truck came down the road to great them. A middle-aged man leaned out the window with, what Alex thought to be, a fake smile. She never had said anything to her parents, only her brother, but she could read people and what she saw when she looked upon this man was a dark shadow surrounding him. It was an inky sludge that dripped off his words as he spoke and Alex was instantly mistrusting. She looked to her brother and she knew that he was feeling uneasy as well. However, the man seemed charming to their parents and, despite Justin and Alex's argument, they found themselves in the bed of the old truck. Supposedly the man, who called himself Sam, was going to take them back to his house to get some gas and then he would take them back to their old sedan.

The truck ground its gears as it clunked its way off the main road and onto an old dirt one that was not well traveled. Alex and Justin both watched as the black tar from the main road became a dot and then a speck before it disappeared completely from sight. They clasped their hands together as the feeling of wrongness grew with each passing second; it was obvious that their parents still did not see anything wrong as they talked and joked with the man in the cab. Sam was charming them into a false since of security and doing it quite well.

"Look at all of the abandoned cars." Justin stated softly as he looked off to the side of the old road. There were a lot of them, all different kinds and a few of them did not look like they had been there for very long. One car they passed, Alex was sure she could see red splattered on the windshield. All the old horror films her mom didn't want her to watch but their dad let them anyway started to run through her mind. The whole area was secluded from the main road by stone that jutted out of the ground. With the old cars nestled in between only someone who knew they were there would ever find them and the only way that Alex could figure that the cars got there was because someone put them there. The bad feeling in her gut was worse.

"Justin, maybe we should bale?"

"But what about mom and dad, we can't just leave them?"

Justin was right. As much as they disliked this whole situation, perhaps they were just being paranoid and so they stayed quiet for the rest of the trip until the voices in the cab suddenly became quiet. The children couldn't hear what was being said but they could hear the tone. Their mother had gone from happy to panic sounding in less then a beat of a heart. As the truck slowed to a stop outside an old run down little house Alex could hear her father suddenly become angry and she turned to look through the filthy window to see the man called Sam pull a long knife from somewhere between the seats and her father brought up his arm to stop the blow but the knife went clean through and where once their was an arm, there was now a bleeding stump. Alex was transfixed as her mother started to scream and Sam brought the knife up again but this time the blade sliced through the soft, giving flesh of her father's throat. That was all she could see as the red blood that pumped through her father's veins, giving him life, now flowed with great force through the gaping hole in his neck. Alex suddenly thought back to the other cars and she knew that their fate would now be the same as all of the other travelers before them.

It was suddenly as if all time had slowed but yet yielded nothing to the children in the back of the truck other than a horror show. Alex watched as her mother jumped from the cab of the truck and turned towards them. Never before had Alex seen true fear and terror in her mother's eyes and she knew that she had the same look reflecting in her own eyes. In that moment her mother knew that she was going to die but she wanted her children to live, she just needed to give them time to get away.

"Run!!" was all that she was able to shout at them before Sam was coming around the truck towards her and she picked up a stone and tossed it at the man.

That one word was all that was needed to break the spell Alex was under and she grabbed her brother's hand as they jumped from the truck. Yet even as they ran Alex couldn't help the feeling of dread that was chilling her heart. There wasn't enough time for them and she could hear her mother screaming but she didn't look back. Perhaps if they made it back to the mini canyon that they had driven through her brother and she could hide for a bit. They could hide in one of the abandoned cars that littered the desert. Alex tried hard to not be affected by her mother's sudden scream and then, just as suddenly, her silence, behind them, as they ran on.

It seemed like they had been running forever till they reached the first old car. Justin didn't argue as his sister pulled him over to a beat up 57 Chevy. Alex kept watch as her brother opened the door and then gave a shriek and jumped back. It took her only a second to see what had caused her brother to jump back. In the car were two corpses and by the looks of them they were about as old as the car itself. The dry heat of the desert had managed to preserve them quite well and the car had kept predators away from the tempting meal. Their hair and clothes were still intact if not a little faded by the fierce and unforgiving sun. The passenger had worn a soft blue sundress while the driver seemed to have on what was left of a tacky Hawaiian shirt and slacks. Their skin had long ago collapsed against the bones on both driver and passenger and they both sported gaping wounds, or more like holes, on their necks, which was obviously how they had died.

Alex could see the bones that lay beneath those wounds and, along the rest of the bodies that were not draped in sun-faded clothing, she could see other bones protruding from other wounds. However, the most disturbing thing about the bodies were the eyes, or to be more accurate, the lack of eyes. Both heads faced the way that the children had come from with empty sockets and sun bleached teeth that still seemed to echo out a scream that was just as dead as the two before them yet still just as powerful. For a moment, Alex felt their last moments of fear and she knew them. To her, it felt that if she looked at them hard enough she would know their names, like a whisper at the back of her mind. Perhaps it was the fear pumping in her veins but she could have sworn she saw one head turn towards her and heard a whispered warning, wanting them to hide. But as soon as she felt it, the feeling and connection were gone.

Justin grabbed her hand, suddenly breaking the spell as he pointed to the road. The sound of a boot against stone was unmistakable. As quietly as she could she closed the door of the front seat and gestured for her brother to get into the back. The rear door made a soft click and a groan as it opened and closed. Simple noises that most ignore in their day to day lives, certainly not a sound that either had paid attention to before but now it was painfully loud and it echoed seemingly forever against the surrounding stone as if to shout to the world where they were hiding.

"Alex," Justin started in a soft, uncertain voice. "What about mom?"

Brother and sister simply looked at each other as neither had an answer. There was no answer to give and they didn't have time to consider it as Sam came up the little hill. Both held their breath as the man walked about a bit as if undecided before slowly walking off.

"Come on Alex. We have to get back out to the main road." Justin was already pushing the door open on the car as he whispered to her. Alex hesitated for a moment as she felt the warning to stay hidden was repeated. She looked to the front seat and was once again disturbed by the blank empty sockets seeming to look right at her. "Come on!! He is going to come back!" her brother urged her. She looked back once more before she followed her brother out of the car but she knew even without the dead warning that they would never make it. There was simply no cover and they were going to be running in the wide open from a man that lived in the desert and knew every knoll and crevasse that it offered, or didn't.

"There you two are!" It was said with such joy that it sounded much like a little boy who just found a favorite toy that he had misplaced.

Both screamed as they redoubled their speed but they had little hope of getting very far as the man charged after them like a raging bull. In three goliath strides he had caught up to them and grabbed at the collars of their shirts. Alex watched in growing horror as Sam threw Justin down onto the rocks hitting his head with a hard thud. She could see blood spill forth as he fell terrifyingly silent. In that moment Alex lost what control she had as her pain and fear turned to anger and with everything that she had in her, she turned on her captor with the anger of a lioness.

Sam's eyes, for a moment, grew wide as he looked at the wild fire in front of him lash out with sharp nails and teeth. He felt blood on his face after he felt the sting of her nails digging into his flesh. It brought a smile to his face, very few ever fought back- ran, screamed, hid, pleaded, and begged for death but very few fought with such anger and determination. Most were like dumb animals awaiting slaughter. They simply accepted their fate, sensing that they were going to die but hoping that if they were compliant they just might get the chance to see another day. Only in the last moments do they know for sure that it is over, there was no hope of anything but the pain and fear that he would offer them. There was nothing more to look forward to and he loved to see that look in their eyes at that last moment when all hope was gone. Sam wanted to see how much it would take him to break someone's will, to have them surrender completely to him in death. It was the ultimate rush and this one would be fun. Perhaps he would keep her as a pet? After all, his current pet was no fun anymore: she was broken.

In the blur of a moment he had her subdued in his arms and he leaned into her ear and whispered to her. "Now little girl, if you keep this up I will leave your brother for the vultures. You don't want that, do you? Besides, your mother is waiting for us at the cabin and we don't want to disappoint her now do we?"

Alex fought the urge to throw up at the honey sweetness of his tone but stopped her struggles for Justin's sake and that of her mother. Nothing more was said as the man grabbed her brother by his ankle and her by the wrist dragging both of them back to the cabin at the end of the road. Alex watched with a heavy heart as her brother's head wound seemed to grow as he scrapped along the ground unconscious still. She pleaded Sam to pick him up so that he wouldn't be hurt any further but her cries fell on deaf ears and so she stopped.

It did not take long before the cabin was in sight and soon they were walking inside. Sam let go of Justin and just left him inside the door but he walked Alex over to what must had sufficed as a couch although the thing looked like it had been dumped in the desert for years before Sam decided to put it in his home.

"Now honey, I want you to stay here while your mommy and I play for a bit." With that he shoved her down and pulled out some duck tape from the table next to the sofa securing her arms down and with that he left her and her brother. As soon as the beast was out of sight she took in her surroundings. It was dark and dingy and she couldn't really see any details as the only light that was coming in was through an old, dirt -stained window in the adjoining kitchen. There seemed to be stains everywhere and Alex was sure that they were from blood. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness rather quickly and she became aware that there was someone else in the room besides her and Justin. In the far corner was another girl sitting quietly in a chair. Alex figured she looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old. Alex's heart leapt as she noticed that she wasn't restrained in any way.

"Hey!" she shouted as softly as she could not wanting to alert Sam that she was up to anything. "Hey you over there! You have to help me." There was no response and she was beginning to wonder if the girl was even alive. "Hey!" she tried again but still there was no response. Alex looked harder at the girl and realized that the girl was indeed alive or at the very least she was breathing. Something was seriously wrong. The eyes of this girl were deader than the gaping holes on the corpses that were sitting in the Chevy. Scars littered the girl and her mouth had been sewn shut. She was living but dead and no matter what Alex said or did the girl would never be able to help her or her brother. Alex's heart went out to the girl as she could only imagine what had happened to her and she said a silent prayer for her unlucky soul.

"Oh God please no!! No!!" The last was a scream in a voice that had always been there for Alex and that would never be there for her or her brother again. She could see nothing of what was happening but she didn't need to, as she knew the moment her mother drew her last breath and was gone. She wanted to panic, wanted to scream, wanted to fight, but she simply sat still, lost. Movement out of the corner of her eye made her look up to see Sam wiping what she was sure was blood off his hands and onto a towel.

"Well, it looks like your mother didn't want to join us. So I guess that I will have to be your daddy now." Alex was glaring all the hate and anger that she could muster at the man. She knew he held her life in his hands but what did she really have to live for? But then she couldn't leave Justin like that so she didn't move as the man continued prattling on. "I see you have met my other daughter, Sara," he said as he absently patted the girl on the head. She gave no response to him or his touch but continued to stare out at nothing. "She is getting older, she doesn't need me as much anymore and I think it is time that she moves on." He gave Alex a terrifying smile that stabbed her like a knife. "You will replace her quite well. You see, we were getting ready to move until we came across you and your family. Sara told me that she really liked it here and she wanted to stay but I didn't want to leave her. It is always hard to let go of your children once they get older but we have to let go at some point. So it is decided! You will come with me and I will leave all of this," he turned in a circle gesturing to the run down building, "to Sara and since you are an orphan, I will be your daddy."

"What about Justin?" She asked, hesitant. It was starting to really bother her that he seemed to be only talking about her.

"Sara wants a boyfriend. So he will stay to keep her company."

"You sick monster…" and she exploded again and all she could see was white fury as she became a wild beast. She was still tied to the couch but her body was pumping so much adrenalin that the couch moved with her as she charged the man. Again the man was overjoyed with her response but he would not tolerate disobedience either. He pulled a knife and just as quickly as she had moved to attack him he had her pushed down on the couch with the blade to her throat.

"Now, now love, keep this up and I might just have to punish you." The blade at her throat was more convincing than his voice and she became somewhat subdued. "I don't care what your life was like before because now you are with me and that is all that matters. I will call you Ally. I think that is also what your mother called you."

Ally was a nickname that her mother called her and hearing it from him was nightmarish. Alex closed her eyes a moment as she took a deep breath trying to find some form of calm.

"You may have command of my body but you will not and cannot ever touch my mind. I will never be Sara because I will never be broken."

"Big words for such a little girl."

"But they are true and I will escape you and you will die and when you do the souls of all of those you have killed will seek their own revenge. I have nothing more to say to you." And those were the last words that she ever spoke to the man or to anyone else for that matter. For three years she had lived in silence and fought to keep her sanity. He had dragged her away from that place and stuffed her in a car that was ready to travel, packed to the hilt with food and supplies. It was obvious that he was used to time on the road with no or little stops. She watched as they pulled away from the little house and she hoped but doubted that anyone would find her brother. He was as good as dead, as was everyone else. She never had time to cry for any of them and just lived with a numb pain that never seemed to fade.

So her life continued for two years and he taught her how not to cry out in pain and she learned how to live inside her head. They travelled from place to place. He killed others and Alex learned how to block it out. Actually, blocking it out was something she couldn't do but she learned how not to respond. If she responded or pleaded for their lives then their death came that much slower. So Alex continued to disappear within her-self and she watched the world happen around her but as if she were looking through a foggy glass. The image was always distorted - just enough so that she knew what was happening but she didn't have to deal with it, at least not in that moment.

The only thing that kept her somewhat sane was the television. He had it on almost all of the time and it was almost always turned to the news. It reminded her that there were other people out there besides herself and Sam. They had lives and one day she would be with them again. Even being a victim of a drive-by shooting seemed preferable to this hell she lived. At least then she wouldn't have to think about her pending death, just -boom, and that would be it. Alex didn't want to die, not really, she just wanted more than anything else to just be free and to be able to feel again. She wanted to feel something other than constant pain.

"There we go!" Sam exclaimed with a smile. "You look beautiful. I am going have to leave you for a little while. I trust you to be a good girl while I am gone."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him leave, heard the sharp click of the door as he closed it. Slowly she reached up, the movement stiff and seemingly impossible. She wondered absently how long it had been since she had last tried to move at all. Too long and she knew it.

Her fingertips brushed her lips and she felt the cross stitches holding her mouth shut. There didn't seem to be that much blood. Experimentally she tried to open her mouth and found that she could barely part her lips before she felt the sharp resistance. Alex knew that if she were going to escape she would have to do it soon. It wouldn't be long before she was weak from lack of food and water. Sam was more or less done with her, he was going to let her die. Alex heard him mumbling on more than one occasion about how his little doll was growing up too fast. He had thought he would have more time but she had broken too fast. She knew he was talking about her willingness to resist him, however, little did he realize that she just played along - she wasn't that far gone…yet.

All of her movements seemed painfully slow to her as she was simply not used to it anymore. Yet, that didn't stop her from turning her head towards the door and she gasped. He had finally slipped up. The door was left ajar, it must have bounced in its frame when he closed it and the latch didn't take. This was her last chance and she knew it. Slowly and painfully she stood from her chair. Her bones popped and creaked as she lifted herself and moved tired, old muscles. One step in front of the other is what she kept telling herself as she moved forward. The more she moved the easier it got and soon she was walking at what she hopped was a more normal pace.

Her heart felt like it was beating in her throat as she stepped out of the door. There was a cool breeze that caressed her face and she tilted her head back to enjoy the sensation. Sam had checked them in to some old hotel that had seen better days. It was dark and dingy but that was fine by Alex as it made it easier to sneak out. For a moment, she wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not. She didn't think she could handle it if she wasn't. There was light flickering from the city street lamp just out of the front gate. Further beyond that she could hear the faint roar of traffic. She knew that they were in a city but she wasn't sure which one. When Alex was with Sam she only saw what was in front of her, she didn't have the luxury of looking about herself but now she was wiping the thick sleep from her eyes and seeing for the first time in almost a year.

It was a large city with lights so bright that it blocked out the light of the heavens. That was okay to her; even the dirty light flooding the street was like the light of God shinning down. As she stepped into the street its warm glow bathed her with its soft wonderful whispers. For some time she forgot that she was supposed to be running for her life, so swept up in the moment but there were other noises that slowly brought her back to reality. Somewhere down the street someone was arguing and coming closer was a car. Her eyes snapped open with a start: was it Sam coming back? Alex couldn't wait to find out and she found her feet and will again in a heartbeat and she started to run. It was awkward, as her feet didn't seem to want to move well. Yet, she persisted and the rhythm of running was coming back to her. No matter how fast she wanted to go she knew it still wasn't fast enough, she simply had spent too much time sitting. Alex would have to rely on hiding and hopefully she would be able to find the police. Someone would help her, she was sure, as long as she got help before he caught her.

As she moved on a car drove past her and then stopped, panic seized her heart. In a huge effort she pushed herself to move faster: it was Sam. There was no time to waste but she knew that she was doomed before it began. If Alex was completely honest with her-self it was over that fateful day that her parents' car broke down. Her life was going to meet a deadly end.

No words were said as Sam jumped out of the car grabbing a large knife and he started to give chase. He was slightly disappointed in his little girl for this last streak of misbehaviour. Sam would simply have to end it tonight in a more violent manner than he originally had planned. She wasn't able to run very fast so catching her wouldn't be all the difficult. He watched pleased as she turned down a dark alley, little did she know that she was making this rather easy on him.

Alex ducked down a dark alley in the hopes she would at the very least be able to hide from Sam. She would never out run him and they both knew it. Ahead of her was an old dumpster, it was a gamble but it was the only hope that she had. With strength she thought she no longer had she jumped up balancing her weight on the edge of the canister. It would only take her a second to let herself fall in and close the lid behind her. Only a second, but it was a second she didn't have.

Sam was on her and he had a strong hold on her shirt. With little grace or care he pulled on her, throwing her down to the soggy filth of the alley floor. Alex hit the ground hard and looked back up at the man who had been her captor for the past three agonizing years. Moonlight glistened off the blade of the knife he pulled out of his belt. She was tired, tired of fighting and there was a part of her that was glad to see the knife. However, there was the other part that wanted to live, the part of her that decided it was time to run, the part of her that fought back when the man in front of her killed her family. That was the part of her that opened her mouth causing the stitches to tear, and she screamed. It was not a scream of fear but one of fury and if it could have been used as a weapon than Sam would have been shattered like a glass of wine at the opera. Sam, for his part, was undaunted and knelt down over her with the knife and she knew that her life was over. Silently, she closed her eyes.

There was a weight holding her down and it was crushing her ability to breath but then it was suddenly gone. Alex opened her eyes to see two figures in the shadows, fighting. She could hear the sound of metal clashing together but while the small shadow she knew was Sam fought back, it was obvious that he was losing fast. After all, Sam was nothing more than a bully and like most he didn't like it when his prey fought back. He knew he was losing and suddenly he tried to turn and run but the other, larger figure pulled him back and onto his own weapon. A soft gurgling sound came from Sam before he fell and was silent.

"Are you alright kid?" said a gruff voice. It took Alex a second to realize who was talking to her. It was the large shadow. Alex wanted to answer but no sound came from her. She moved her lips and realized that she was bleeding again and so she stopped. There was nothing that she could say and she collapsed back onto the paved ground.

Feet shuffled closer to her and she thought she felt a hand on her shoulder but she wasn't sure. She simply couldn't see anymore. Perhaps she was going into shock? The reality that she was safe and free was simply too much for her to take and everything was blurring. Perhaps she was dead and seeing Sam die and being rescued were just part of her dreams?

"Don't worry kid," the voice said again but it seemed to have moved off again. "Help is on its way." As if on cue, Alex could hear the sound of sirens and she knew the voice wasn't lying. Again she tried to look to the voice but all she could see was a large shadow but she didn't need to see him. His voice, alone, brought her hope and she relished it. Gently, she raised an arm towards him but the shadow was fading. Like a wispy wind in the winter he was slipping through her grasp.

That is how the paramedics found her. Frozen in a reaching pose but none of them could find what it was that she was reaching for. They simply shrugged and tried to ask her what had happened but they just as quickly discovered that no matter what they said or did they could get no answer from her and it had nothing to do with her mouth being sewn shut. They started talking over her as they ran test after test and the ambulance rolled out with a gentle rocking.

Alex was aware of everything around her, yet detached. The only voice that mattered to her was that of the tall stranger. She was alive and he had saved her but everything else was numb. It had been so long since she had felt any kind of joy that she was not sure how to deal with it so she shut down and allowed a warm feeling of peace to sweep over her. She relaxed herself and simply let everything go, she was free and nothing felt better than that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

Raphael watched the ambulance go hoping that the girl would be okay. In the twenty six years of life he had seen some messed up things but he was pretty sure that the kid he had just saved had to be up there with some of the more twisted things he had seen. Imagine, sewing a child's lips together. Raph gave a shudder at the thought as he slid his sie back into his belt, brushing off the blood and turning to head back off into what was left of the night.

Without any sound Raph moved from rooftop to rooftop. The night was like most others for him. Wander around; fight the odd mugger or gang member. Sometimes when he was really lucky he would run into some Foot and he could let out the murderous rage that was building inside of him. He had no mercy to show them but they at least offered some kind of challenge for him to fight.

He had grown reckless and he knew it, as did his brothers - Raph didn't need Leonardo to tell him he was. He would take off at night in the attempt to avoid the argument that took place almost every night now but even then it seemed he would get no rest.

The four of them were having a hard time. It had been just over a year since they had lost sensei but they were still reeling from the effects that loss had on them all. No matter how well they had understood that the old rat would die, none of them ever really wanted to consider it. Raph still felt the pain of that morning keenly. It burned in him like a forest fire. He didn't know how to put it out so he dealt with it the only way he knew how: beat things up. However, taking out his aggression on the odd mugger was doing less to quench the pain. In fact it seemed to do the opposite acting as a fan to add more flame. He knew it was getting easier for him to kill, to be judge and jury out on his streets.

His brothers didn't really know what he got up to when he took off into the night. Leo suspected but had yet to say or do anything. Raphael had a suspicion that his brother was afraid to know for sure so he had settled for making it harder for Raph to sneak out. He chuckled to himself, thinking of how confused Leo seemed to be these days. They had never understood one another and he figured that was why they fought all of the time but now Leo seemed more lost. Not only was he trying to keep the family together but he was at a loss of what to do with Raphael's suicidal night time wanderings or his dark need to inflect pain.

"The pain you feel now will eventually fade."

That was what April had said. He knew that she was only trying to offer comfort but those simple words had infuriated him. How could she know that? Even after a year and three months the pain was as real to him as the day he had found Splinter. The idea of distancing himself from the pain of his loss would be like him admitting that he somehow cared less. So he held on to that pain desperately, it was his way of holding onto Splinter.

Of course to Fearless, Raph just seemed to be more angry and temperamental but Raph couldn't just let go as Leo had. However, if Raph wanted to be fair Leo was dealing with Splinters death the only way that he knew how and that was by being that much more controlling and paranoid.

Sensei's death had also deeply affected Mikey. He had become quiet and sullen and more serious. The change frightened Raph more then he wanted to admit. It wasn't until Splinter's death that Raph started to realize how much he relied on Mikey to keep him sane. Now, he felt like it was just another part of his family that was dying. Anymore, Raphael felt like he was drowning in a dark pit of despair and there was no light at the end, only more darkness. He wondered again, silently to himself, if his presence in the team was all that important. Would his brothers even know if he wasn't there anymore?

Raph didn't think he would ever understand why Mikey looked up to him so much. It wasn't like he set any kind of example for his little brother to follow. Well, none that he would really want Mikey to follow. These days, looking up to him was a dangerous thing for anyone to do because of his self-destructive nature.

Donnie was also dealing the best that he knew how. He had simply become a workaholic. Not that it was much of a change from before. Yet Raph had noticed that there seemed to be a new desperation to Donnie's work. It was as if Donnie was afraid to stop - as if were he to stop, he would not be able to deal with the fact Splinter was gone.

Raph took another blind leap to another roof not really caring if he landed well or not and continued his jog. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that by the time he saw the katana fly at his shell there was no way he could avoid the hit. A thud vibrated through his body from the hit, as he fell to the ground with a bone-jarring crash. Just as quickly as he fell, Raphael had rolled onto his back with his own weapons drawn, ready for the next attack. Seconds passed and he realized that his opponent wasn't going to continue immediately with his attack. In one fluid move that was almost too fast for the eye to follow Raph was back on his feet and he was watching the shadows.

"Show yourself, you damn cowered!!" Raphael roared. Now that he had a possible fight on his hands, he was looking forward to it and he gave a feral smile as his challenger stepped forward - but then he froze.

"Damn it, Raph," Leo swore at his brother. "I could have killed you."

Raph took a step back in surprise but he quickly covered himself and schooled his features into a scowl. "Why didn't ya?" Raph growled back as he put his sies back into his belt. For a moment he thought about simply lunging at his brother but he decided that he simply didn't care right now.

Leo's brow knitted together for a moment as he looked at his brother in concern. It wasn't like Raph to turn down a fight. This just went to further Leo's concern. Raph took the opportunity that Leo's silence offered him and turned to walk away.

Leonardo reached out, gripping Raph's arm before he disappeared again. "Raph…" Leo paused, as he really didn't know what to say. He was expecting to be shoved away, as normally happened whenever someone grabbed Raphael. Yet it didn't happen.

On the rooftop in the middle of New York City, two brothers stood, in silence, neither saying a word but instead frozen in uncertainty. A soft breeze passed them, whipping the tale ends of their ninja masks before it too, passed on to leave them in an even deeper silence.

"Leo," Raph's voice was so soft that Leo had to strain to hear him. He waited but nothing more was said.

"I am worried about you Raph, we all are." There was no response but at the same time Raph still hadn't tried to pull away. "Sensei wouldn't have wanted you to pull away from us like this. We are family, we are here for you."

Even after he had said it Leo knew that whatever moment he and Raph had shared was gone. The muscles in the arm that he forgot he was still gripping, turned to hard unforgiving steel. He was prepared for the blow that came but he didn't fight it. Leo let his head roll back with the punch as he released Raphael. Leonardo knew before he even tried to straighten that his brother was gone again. Hard to say when he would come home. A strong feeling of guilt and failure filled him as he continued to stare at the vacant spot that his brother had stood, only a moment before. Father had left him as head of the family but he wondered if it had been that wise to do so. It seemed to Leo the harder he tried to hold everything together the more everything was slipping through his fingers.

"Father," Leo whispered to the dark sky above him, "I need you so much, we all do."

No answer was forthcoming, as Leo stood, transfixed, watching the inky blackness that blanketed the lights of his city. With a sigh Leo turned towards home. He didn't like to leave his other two brothers alone for too long.

Raphael had not gone far: he stood a distance away, on another rooftop. He could see the defeated way that his brother's shoulders slumped. For several moments Raph had wanted nothing more than to turn to his big brother and cry on his shoulder like Mikey did. However, it didn't matter how tempting an idea this really was, it wasn't something that he could do, ever. Perhaps if he opened up to someone then the blackness that swirled in the pit of his stomach wouldn't seem so threatening?

He watched his brother start off to home with a faint longing. If he followed Leo home, Raph knew the he would have three brothers who would help with this darkness. But again, he simply couldn't do it; couldn't bring himself to ask for that kind of help. The fact that he had hurt Leo more with running away then he did by hitting him, did bother Raph, but the darker side of him was also happy about it. It gloried itself with the ability to hurt Leo, at least a little.

What was he doing? He was never one to walk away from a fight but here he was cowering from his own emotions. Raph shook his head once to clear it and looked after Leo again. His brother had gone out of sight and Raph felt completely alone once more. The satisfaction of his earlier fight, a distant memory and the angry unrest of his soul was creeping upon him once more. Slowly, he turned, with no real goal in mind and allowed himself to wander.

It wasn't long till he was on a quiet street with a little liquor store at the end. Sticking to the shadows that the dark alley provided he looked about himself till he found what he was looking for. A few stories up, there was a clothesline and it looked to have some sweats that would fit him. True to his ninja training he retrieved the sweats and matching hooded sweatshirt, which not only fit but were an appropriate faded red color. This caused him to smile to himself.

Silently, he donned the clothes and headed across the street, fingering the twenty in his belt. The store was quiet and the clerk looked to be in his nineties so Raph met no resistance or questions as he purchased his twelve pack of cheep beer. Before he was even across the street again he had already opened one and the can was half gone. He grimaced at the bland, malty flavor but flavor wasn't why he had bought the stuff. Raph wanted nothing more than to drink his pain away.

It seemed hours that he had been wandering in the dark. In fact it wasn't really that dark anymore as it was now getting into the predawn hours of the night. Raph didn't notice any of this though as he moved on in his drunken haze. He brought the last can of beer to his lips and then realized that it was empty - all of it. With little care or thought he threw the can away from him, the motion causing him to slip and fall. He landed with a thud but didn't bother to move, after that letting the darkness of oblivion surround him in its warm blanket.

Leo sat in silence on their old couch while his brother Michelangelo flipped through the channels.

"Don't you think Raph has been gone a long time?"

Leo looked over at Mike and gave a little huff of annoyance. "When does he ever come home at a decent hour anymore?"

"I'm just saying that I don't think it is such a good idea for him to be out there by himself. The sun will be up in a little bit and he could very easily get himself into a lot of trouble." They all knew about Raph's sudden like of anything that would numb his awareness but it also made life that much more dangerous for them all.

"So are you trying to be the responsible one?" anger was creeping into Leo's voice now, illogical as it was but somehow it felt good to be yelling at someone. "Why don't you take on the roll of 'Fearless Leader' if you think you could do better?"

Leo was prepared to say more, but stopped, as Mikey put up a hand in a quieting gesture. "Calm down bro! I wasn't insinuating anything of the sort." Mike stood up, tossing the remote to the side. "Look, I don't know what bug crawled up your ass, well okay, maybe I do but that is no reason to treat the rest of us like shit! You and Raph are always at each others throats and without master Splinter..." At the sound of his name, Mikey's voice broke a little but he continued on, "The two of you have just gotten worse."

"Mikey I…"

"No! For once I want you to listen to me. You think I don't see what is going on? Do you think that Raph is some soulless jerk? Well I have news for you. He is hurting like the rest of us but he can't bury himself in extra katas so that he doesn't have to deal and he doesn't hide away with his face in a computer like Don. He is Raph, he gets mad, breaks stuff, and when that fails to stop the pain then he turns to drinking." Mikey took a deep breath to calm himself. "If you won't go to get him then I will."

"Mikey…" Leo called out but then paused, as he didn't really know what to say. As always, his brother was right. Mikey could be very insightful when he paid attention and lately he had been doing a lot of it. Leonardo knew that he had been neglecting his family because of his own grief. He wanted to change, he wanted to make it all right again but he was at a loss as to how.

"You have no idea where he is right now. He could be anywhere." Well, it wasn't what he had wanted to say but it was all that he came up with.

"Don't worry bro, I have a good idea where I can find him." With that Mikey was out the door and disappeared in the darkness of the sewer tunnels.

Mikey knew where his brother would be as it was the same place he came to a lot as well. As he approached the grove of trees that hid his master's grave, there was no mistaking the form that lay on top. It was obvious that his brother had made no attempt to hide himself from passers-by. Thankfully, the spot was not that visible from all of the paths of Central Park. Raph, probably, was still in the same position that he had originally passed out in.

He felt no need to step softly as he approached - Raph either was to out of it to notice him or he simply didn't care. The latter was probably more accurate which should have been a terrifying thought. They were numb, all of them. Nothing seemed to matter like it had before. Mikey knew that they had to move on, let go of the past and start practising what they had been taught, not just go through the motions.

"Hey," Mikey kicked his brother in his side. "Dude, wake up!" He kicked again and this time was rewarded with a faint groan. "Come on, bro. If I had some ice cold water I would dump it on your sorry ass, but I don't."

"Good thing too…" Raph grumbled as he opened his eyes. He must have been there for a while because the sun was now out and it was hurting his eyes.

"We were worried about you."

"Huh, I doubt that." Raph complained as he slowly raised himself to his feet with Mikey gripping his arm.

"Alright, fine I missed you." Raph passed him a look that was sarcastic. Mikey tightened his grip on his brother's arm. "I am serious!"

"Good God, Mikey don't shout, please. My head is pounding enough without you adding to it." He sighed, softly as he straightened himself. "And you can let go of my arm now."

Mikey relinquished his grip and stood back. Raphael was in obvious pain but, like always, he tried to act like nothing was different. Before he could stop himself his question burst forth. "Why do you do this to yourself, Raph?"

Raphael was silent for a long time. He stood watching the clouds in the sky billow about. It was perhaps around nine in the morning now. In the distance they could hear people walking about, the occasional bark of a dog and the soft rush of water where the geese were landing.

"It's not like it is something that I set out to do." Raphael's voice was so soft that Mikey almost missed what was said, but still he caught it. "Sometimes it seems easier than trying to deal. It's a way for me to escape." There was a long, pregnant pause but Mikey knew his brother well enough to know that he wasn't finished, so he waited. "I want to get out, end this pain…"

At this Mikey froze. He knew that his brother was depressed, hell they all were, but would he try to hurt himself? "You're not going to…like…ah…" He couldn't bring himself to say 'kill yourself' so when Raph gave him a questioning look he made a slicing gesture across his neck. His brother's face darkened a moment, in confusion and then understanding.

"NO!" His anger was unmistakable in his answer. To him it would be a cowardly action to end one's own life. To die in battle was honorable but to die by one's own hands was unforgivable, in his opinion. "No, I would never do that. I am not a fucking coward," Raph growled out, through gritted teeth. He took a deep breath and let it out. Raph was tired and had a headache and he really didn't want to put that much effort into being mad right now. In a calmer voice he continued. "That isn't what I meant. I have been thinking about this for some time now. What it would be like to see the rest of the world."

"That would be fun. It could be like a family outing."

"Not quite what I had in mind, Mikey. I was thinking more about doing it on my own." Raph watched as his brother's brow narrowed as he digested what his going away would entail.

"You mean leave us?" There was an edge of panic in his voice now.

"Calm down Mikey. I'm not saying that I am going to run off tomorrow. Just, I think it is something that I need to do.

"But what will we do without you?!"

"You'll do just fine, it's not like you lot need me for anything…" Before he could finish, Mikey grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him, which did nothing for either his headache or his mood.

"Damn it, Mikey! Let go of me!" He shoved his little brother away with enough force to knock him to the ground. "Look, I am sorry that I said anything. Come on, get your ass up and let's go home. I am sure Fearless is dying to torture us with some training." Not that he had any intention of jumping through his brother's hoops but he was done with this conversation.

Raphael didn't wait for his brother as he started to walk away. "Raph," he stopped but didn't turn around. "Just promise me one thing…please."

"What?"

"That if you leave, that you will tell me first?"

Now Raph did turn around to look at Mikey. He could see the soft, vulnerable look that Mikey had when they were little. It would be easy for Raph to shatter his little brother, but that was just something he couldn't do. Leo was easy to try and hurt because in the end they were so used to not liking one another. However, he couldn't willfully do the same to either Mikey or Donnie.

"Yes, I will tell you before I go."

Mikey seemed to relax some at his answer. Then silently, he fell into step with Raph as they walked home.

By the time they got home Raph's headache was now a continual throb. The sound of clashing weapons, steel against oak, greeted them. "Well, seems like Leo didn't feel like waiting for us."

"Come on bro, let's give 'em a run for their money."

"Nah, Mikey you go ahead. I think I am going to go to bed."

He headed past the dojo, glancing in just as Donnie was thrown to the floor. Raph smirked to himself. Poor Donnie was many things but he would never be a great fighter. Ah, but he gave him points for never giving up. He quickened his pace as he saw Leo look in his direction; he really didn't feel like fighting.

"Raph, 'bout time you got home…"

"Leo, don't even go there. I am tired and my head is throbbing."

"Well, if you didn't stay out all night…"

"Leo!" Why couldn't his brother leave well enough alone? Turning, he headed up to his room. "If I had a middle finger I'd flip you off."

"Why'd you have to be a jerk?" The voice was getting heated but Raph kept going.

"Leo, man, just let him go," Mikey said, coming to his rescue. Good let him argue it out with high and mighty while he got some sleep.

The voices became a distant irritation for him as he closed the door to his bedroom. There were no lights on, which was the way he liked it. With eyes closed, he walked to his bed and allowed himself to fall onto the bare mattress. Reaching over to the little table by his bed he opened a bottle of aspirin tossing them in his mouth like candy. Unlike his brothers he had never felt the need to put covers on his bed. What was the point? Raphael's thoughts wandered for a bit before blissful sleep took him again.

To Raphael it didn't seem like he slept enough. He was sure it had only been a few hours before there was a knock on his door. He tried to ignore it but it didn't show any signs of slowing down or stopping.

"Raph? You awake yet?" came Donnie's soft voice.

"What the hell do you think?" There was the unmistakable sound of his door opening. When Raph didn't say or do anything, Donnie took it as an invitation to come in. However, his footsteps were still very hesitant, as well as they should be. Each of his brothers had suffered his wrath after entering his room uninvited. Yet, there was nothing Donnie had to fear from him this time. He simply couldn't care less.

"Hey,"

"What? If you have something to say then just say it Don."

"Well, we were talking about patrolling the city."

"That's alright, you guys go ahead."

"I don't think that is something that Leo will agree to."

Raph was silent for a short bit as he mauled over his options. On one hand he could ignore his brother, Leonardo and hope he simply decided to leave him alone. Somehow he simply didn't see that happening. Leo could be very stubborn when he wanted to be. He sat up, hesitantly testing his throbbing head, but thankfully everything was fine. Well, going out hunting the Foot might not be all that bad of an idea after all. The faint fire began to burn in him again, blood on his sies, yes, he wanted to go out with his brothers.

"Alright, give me a few minutes and I will meet you down stairs." Finally he looked at his brother and smiled. "Let me guess, this isn't really your idea of fun either?"

"Is it that obvious?" Donnie sighed. "There is just so much more that I could be doing. Going out to beat up a bunch of men in pajamas wasn't originally on the list."

"Hmm, that makes two of us."

"Right, like you don't get a kick out beating people up."

"You're just jealous because I'm better at it then you."

"Something like that. You better hurry otherwise Leo will be up here and you know how he is."

"Yeah." Raph watched his brother leave and stood up himself. With slow, methodical ease he began popping his joints as he stretched. Well, no time like the present. With that he headed off to join his brothers, just like old times. Except this time Sensi wouldn't be there with his kind words of support or harsh warning if they did not stay focused. He never really realized how much he would miss that scrutiny. With a quick shake of his head he cleared his mind; he didn't really want to go wandering down memory lane.

Nothing was said as three brothers became four and they turned to leave their sewer home. Never before, when their father had been around, were they this silent as they moved about the city. This really wasn't like prowling and more like hunting and Raph felt right at home.

It didn't take long for them to come up on a small scouting party of the Foot clan. The irony of the situation hit Raph: the Foot were so intent on watching the street, they didn't seem to notice that they themselves were being watched. None of it really mattered: they were Foot, he could fight them freely and not have to worry if they died or not.

"Raph, no!" Leo whispered, sharply, but it was no use as Raph was already over the side of the building and onto the next rooftop. The Foot did take notice of the thud Raph made but he was like a green whirl of wind. Two fell dead at his feet before the others took notice. There was little form to his killing arc because he really didn't care. The fire was growing inside of him and he needed to feed it. He heard the crunch of bone, the tear of flesh and he reveled in it. Somewhere behind him he sensed his brothers fighting but he wasn't really leaving them much to do. Leo was shouting something to him but he paid him no mind whatsoever. He was only focused on the black clad monsters in front of them. With a deep swing of his arm, he brought his sie down on a Foot member. He hit him so hard the weapon was buried to its hilt and the man was suspended in mid air. Death came to the man quickly and his eyes glassed over and Raph pulled out his blade. He turned to find his next opponent but there were none left. Every last one of them was dead. Raphael wiped the blood off his sie on the dead man's tunic before he re-sheathed it.

"Damn it Raph, you are out of control!!"

"Well what do you want?! I thought we were coming out here to patrol the city not to spy!"

"You didn't have to kill them all!"

Raph's blood was boiling as he got right up into his brothers face. "What? You afraid that you're going to upset your girlfriend?"

Leonardo clenched his fists, resisting the urge to punch his brother. His voice became a deathly quiet tone. "Karai is not my girlfriend. What I am trying to say is that it was perhaps unnecessary to kill all of these Foot ninja."

"Oh right, and if they were winning they would have done the same thing for us. Well Fearless, it's time you get your head out of the clouds because this is kill or be killed." He knew that Leo was going to come back with something but he really didn't want to hear it, not anymore. Raph started to walk away when Donnie's panicked voice reached his ears.

"You guys?" He looked up to make sure he had everyone's attention before he continued. "This is really bad." Donnie said as he lifted an old-looking scroll for his brothers to inspect.

"Well Donnie, get to the point." Mikey took a good look at the paper but saw nothing exciting. "Just looks like some paper that needs to be binned."

Donnie rolled his eyes in exasperation, as if there was something obvious about the paper that his brothers had missed but shouldn't have. "Look closer." Was all he said and three sets of eyes gazed at the paper again but no recognition showed on any of their faces. "It's the symbol of the Foot!"

"Well, Donnie," Leo began slowly. "The Foot did have it."

"I know that Leo, but this is old, as old as this paper and if I had to guess, this is around five or six hundred years old." Donnie unrolled it a little further, "and look here, it is the Shredder's name."

"So what were they up to?"

"I don't know Raph maybe we should ask one…oh wait, we can't 'cause they are all DEAD!"

"Leo, Raph, will both of you just stop for a moment. I am trying to decipher this but it is going to take a bit of time. I need to get it back to the lab."

"Alright then," Leonardo took on his authoritative voice, which irked Raphael but he just tried to ignore it. "Let's call it a night and head back. We need to find out what the Foot are up to."

"Yes sir, Captain Obvious." Raph clipped out, but Leo was also trying to ignore him. Raph watched his brothers start to leave and paused. Looking back to the bodies on the roof he remotely wondered if there really was something wrong with him. The idea of truly being out of control scared him more than anything else. If he was out of control then he might accidentally hurt one of his brothers and he would never be able to live with himself if he did that.

"You coming Raph?" Mikey's voice was tentative, almost fearful. He almost regretted telling his brother that he was thinking about leaving. However, it was the truth and if he did leave Mikey would be the one he would confide in.

"Yeah, don't worry bro. I'm right behind you." Mikey waited for him as if he didn't quite believe him. Oh well, if nothing else he knew Mikey would miss him if he was gone which meant at least one of them cared what happened to him. He didn't know why that was so important to him right now, but it was. Well, at least things were going to get interesting again for them; especially if the Foot was up to their old tricks again. He smiled: perhaps there was still some fun to be had after all?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not mine and I'm not making any money off this story.

A/N: I just wanted to let everyone know who is reading this that it is going to focus on more than just Raph. However, Raphael is my main driving point. There will also be a number of solo stories of Donnie, Leo and even Karai; hope that doesn't put anyone off. Oh, and if anyone has not watched all of 'Heroes' then be warned as there is a spoiler in this chapter and perhaps later on.

Chapter 2

It had been two days since the incident on the roof and not much had changed. Donnie had locked himself away in his lab refusing to talk to anyone. Really it wasn't anything new, it was simply how Donnie worked. Of course Raph, Leo and Mikey could be very distracting so it only made sense.

The remote to the TV was now Raph's but only after a wrestling match with Mikey. He idly flipped from channel to channel, the program that he had wanted to watch having been canceled for the evening in favor of some special double episode of the 'Gilmore Girls'. He was just being petty now and he knew it but didn't care. Let Mikey pout about losing control of the TV. He won it fair enough. Mikey may be fast but he was strong. They were both surprised when Raph's hand closed around a flying ankle. After that, the rest was history. No amount of kicking or punching was going to get Raph to relent. Mikey did the only logical thing and handed him the remote. However, his victory was bitter sweet when his 'CSI' didn't start.

Raph let out a long defeated sigh and looked over to Mikey who had his back to him. While Mikey didn't leave the room he did, however, relinquish the couch to Raph. He had huddled up with one of his newer comics, sitting on the floor pretending that Raph didn't exist or that he was now very bitter about missing his show.

"Come on Mikey. My show's not on so what channel was yours on?"

"Like it matters now," Mikey growled over his shoulder. "I missed the first fifteen minutes of it already." Now he did turn around to look at Raph hope glinting in his eyes. "But if you are interested, that would be channel three."

"Fine." Raph tossed the remote to his little brother who caught it with ease while jumping to his feet at the same time. In one fluid movement Mikey had back flipped himself to the seat next to Raph and changed to channel three to 'Heroes'. Of course Mikey would love this show.

"It's the season finale tonight. I still don't think the cheerleader is really the key to saving New York or the world but they have to wrap it all up tonight."

"Mikey, you are talking to me as if I care."

"Oh come on Raph, even you have to find some of this stuff cool. Wouldn't you want the power to fly, or to regenerate, or even super strength?"

"Mikey, being a walking, talking, ninja fighting turtle is freak enough for me. I don't need some insane power to add to my current mutation." He started to get up but Mikey stopped him with his voice.

"What? Why are you leaving me and where are you going?"

"I am going to join Leo in the dojo because I want to work out."

Mikey's brow knotted together in thought. "So you are choosing to spend time with Leo rather than me?"

"Um, let me think," Raph dipped his head as if in deep thought and the raised it again as if in a revelation. "Yes."

Mikey called after him as he walked away. "Fine, I won't tell you what happens and you will never know."

"Mikey, aren't you missing your show?" He called back without stopping.

Mikey didn't answer but he did hear a distinct muttering that could have been swearing. It made Raph give a small smile as he walked to the dojo but he didn't make it all the way. On the table by the door was the newspaper that Donnie had put down after breakfast. Raph froze as he looked at the blank face looking back at him. It was that girl that he had saved a few nights ago. He grabbed the paper and opened it to read the article.

It went on about her injuries both new and old. She had been systematically and methodically tortured for a good number of years. His blood ran cold as he read on about the number of old broken bones, whip marks, and slice wounds that ran the length of the girl's body. He took comfort in the fact that he had killed the bastard but he wanted to do it all over again. Slower this time, make him scream.

Raph shook his head to clear it. He didn't want to think about killing right now, he didn't have anyone suitable to beat within an inch of their lives right now. He scanned the rest of the article to find that there was a half-hearted search for the monster's killer. Currently, most efforts were being put on a search for the rest of the gir'ls family. However, it seemed she was not being of much help to the authorities due to her muteness. It struck Raph as odd, as he was sure the girl had mustered the ability to scream otherwise he might not have saved her. Yet, it was possible she screamed as a last ditch effort to get away from her tormentor. He couldn't blame her for wanting to take time out and shut out the world that would be trying to demand answers from her whether she was ready to give them or not.

Raph sat the paper back down; at least she was safe and away from that monster. Perhaps he would go and see her some time. Just to check and see how she was doing for himself. With one last longing look to the dead eyes looking back at his, he turned for the dojo. He really was looking forward to beating something up now.

Leo was exactly where he thought he would be, going through countless katas with his swords, with his eyes closed, lost in thought. He thought about sneaking up on Leo and countering him with his sie but thought better of it. The last time he did that he ended up with a new scar on his arm. Startling Leonardo was a dangerous past time.

"Hey bro, you want someone to spar with?"

Leo opened his eyes to look at Raphael. "Not really." He saw Raph's eye ridge lift in surprise. "Not that I don't want to." He corrected. "It's just my mind isn't on fighting right now. More like I was doing the katas to clear my mind but…"

"It isn't working for ya?" Raph finished for him.

"Yeah, I just wish Donnie would figure out what is going on so that we can get out there and do something. I just have a really bad feeling that something is going to happen."

Raph nodded once to show he understood his brother as he moved towards his punching bag. If Leo didn't want to fight, he would find something that was impartial in the matter.

"So, are you ever going to tell me why you obsess over her?"

"Over who?" Leo asked, honestly confused

"Karai," was all Raph said as he started his attack on the bag in front of him.

"I don't!" Leo was now defensive - seems like Raph would get his fight after all, if not a physical one then a verbal one.

"If that is the case then why you get so defensive whenever I say her name?"

"I…" Leo sighed and sat himself down with a very un-Leo-like thunk on one of the many benches that lined the walls. "I don't know. I just wish she would wake up and realize what a mistake her life is."

"And come running to you." Raph grunted as he gave the bag a hard kick with enough force to shatter a thighbone.

"No!" Leo snapped but once again, why was he being so defensive? The woman had tried to kill them on a number of occasions and made it quite clear that she hated them. However, Leonardo had her at the mercy of his blade just as many times but unlike Karai he was never willing to bring that final, fatal blow. It was his own flaw and one he would have to face hopefully later rather than sooner. Yet, Leo knew that if the opportunity presented itself Raph would have no problem running her through his own blade.

Raph stopped his brutal attack, holding the bag still and looked his brother in the eye. "You know I would take her out if given the chance." Raph said between gasps for breath.

"I know," was Leo's soft response.

Raph nodded once and went back to his bag. There was nothing more that needed to be said between them.

"Raph!! Leo!! Get in here!" Donnie yelled for his two missing brothers.

"Well, here we go. Coming Raph?"

"Yeah," and he joined Leo as they walked into the main room of their home.

Donnie stood with a stack of papers in his hands and seemed to be arguing with Mikey. Raph was sure it had something to do with the show Mikey had been watching. There was some sort of compromise as Donnie let out an exasperated sigh while Mikey got a VHS tape from a shelf. He popped in the tape, turned off the TV and then turned to face everyone.

"Good, now that I have everyone's attention," and with that he gave Mikey a pointed glance which only made Mikey smile. "I have all the information that I could get my hands on regarding the staff."

"Staff?"

"Yes, Mikey, now if you could just leave your questions till after I am done…"

"I mean come on Donnie, that is such a lame title…"

"I don't care if it is a lame title or not, that is just what I am calling it. Besides it isn't important what is important is what this thing is supposed to be able to do." Donnie was on a roll now and he switched to professor mode. Not that he would ever get to be a professor that is. "So, according to the scroll it would appear that the Shredder wanted to not only control the future but also the past. He stole the Staff from his Utron counterparts but it was untested. The Shredder was successful in taking the Staff but lost it before he was able to use it. He really didn't have it all that long but the land was unsettled and there were many coups. Peasant farmers attacked the Shredder's fortress and in the confusion many of his prized possessions were lost such as the sword of Tangu and the Staff."

"Yeah," Mikey chimed in as if it was a physical impossibility for him to remain silent for any extended period of time. "And we all know what happened to the sword and how many problems that thing caused."

"So, what else do we know about this Staff?" Leo questioned - he was Captain Obvious, after all.

"Well, I did some searching on the internet and a Staff matching the description on the scroll has been unearthed in Japan. It is a very good possibility that it is in one of our local museums."

"What makes you say that, Donnie?"

Donnie smirked at their eldest brother. "Well, while you and Raph were having your rather loud shouting match, others of us were taking note of our location." Leo averted his gaze momentarily, out of guilt. He was the head of family and he hadn't even taken the time to look where they were before he started to chastise Raphael. "Anyway, the Foot were watching the museum across the street which made me think. I got April to hack into their system to get an items manifest." He looked down at the papers in his hands shuffling them about before pulling one out. "It isn't listed per say but there is one item that could possibly be it and it looks like it is going to be moved here in the next few days."

"Do you know exactly what day, Donnie?" Don shook his head in a negative gesture. "Alright then, I say we do some reconnaissance tonight and see if the Foot has any information that we don't."

"Can I finish watching 'Heroes' at least?"

"No Mikey, now come on." Leo's eyes followed Raph as he walked over to the coat rack by the door. "What are you doing Raph?"

"What does it look like?" Raph growled. "I'm grabbing my duster."

"Why," but Leo stopped when he saw the look his brother was giving him. He was not in the mood to argue. "You know what, never mind let's just go."

The four left their home and headed up topside in silence. Raph tried to fall behind but to his annoyance Mikey followed him. They didn't say anything to each other, which was just another sign of how much things had changed, yet oddly stayed the same. In days gone by Mikey would have done the same thing but he would be running his mouth. Getting under Raph's skin just enough that he would border on real anger and then Mikey would jump out of his reach and the chase would be on. He never thought he would ever miss his brothers antagonizing antics; who knew?

He tried to fall a bit more behind the others but still Mikey followed. He sighed: the only way he was going to get away was if he was honest with his brother. "Hey Mikey," Raph gestured with a nod towards Leonardo and Donatello. "Why don't you catch up with them?"

Mikey's face fell in concern. "Why?"

It was one word but he knew what it meant. It was laced with fear and concern for him and that worried him. "I am not running away. It's just," he hesitated a moment. There was a time when they never held anything back from one another. Every time they came back from an outing by themselves they would tell each other but now it just seemed to take too much effort.

"Look, there is something that I wanted to check up on. There was a girl that I helped out the other night and she was pretty messed up. Turns out she and her family had been missing for a couple of years. They have her in foster care not far from here." He glanced off across the rooftops in the general direction that he wanted to take off in. "It's not more than a mile away."

Mikey was silent for a moment and then he smiled at his brother - a bit of the old Mikey shinning though. "Well, go on then. I figured you had that coat on for a reason. I will cover for you."

At that Raph let out a short gruff laugh. "Mikey I do not need you to cover for me. We are far from being teenagers anymore."

Mikey lowered his voice and leaned closer to Raphael. "Try explaining that to our leader. If it were up to him he'd control every aspect of our lives. Even our bathroom times would be on some kind of freaky flow chart."

"That's just him being a control freak and there is no way that I would let him do that."

"I think that is the only reason why he hasn't." Mikey let out an honest laugh at that but he sobered quickly. The other two were getting pretty far ahead now. Leo would notice any moment that they weren't following them and then he would start yelling. Some things were just too predictable. "Look Raph, just go. If we find out anything I will come and get you."

"Thanks bro," and with that he turned, jumping from the roof he was on to the next. He knew exactly where he was going and it didn't take him long to reach the building he was looking for. Like some brave, tarnished savior of the world he stood on the roof across from his destination. Gazing into the windows below, his eyes silently searching the darkened glass beyond. There was a light breeze from the north that brought the coming promise of winter's first chill, perhaps just days away. He snapped the oversized collar of his duster up and pulled out his hat from the backpack. With little ceremony, he shoved it down. The chance of someone seeing him was slim but he was better off bordering on the side of over-cautious than not.

There were fire exits on almost every apartment so it made it easy access for him as he climbed down to what he thought to be his best set. There was a soft light glowing from somewhere in the room and he saw the outline of a girl sitting in a chair, in the far corner. He narrowed his eyes a bit and looked harder, but he already knew it was her. Raph could see the scabbed-over wounds on her lips from where they had been sewn shut. A shudder ran down his spine at the thought. A memory of being tied to Bishop's examination table came to mind with a horrid clarity and he rubbed his hand over his eyes as if to wipe away the nightmarish image.

Before he could stop himself, he opened the window with hardly a sound and moved in, sticking to the shadows as much as his bulk allowed for. There was no movement from the girl, not even a flicker from her eyes. There was just a steady rise and fall of her chest to show that she was still breathing. However, she seemed to be at peace, which struck Raph as being slightly odd. He then did what he shouldn't have done; he took one step into the light. Yet, still she gave no response to him being in her room. Raph let out a breath that he didn't even know that he had been holding. While he had yet to admit it to himself, he had been prepared for screaming of some sort to take place.

Raph felt a wave of confidence as he moved across the room and softly knelt before the girl. She was like a statue - cold and distant, as her eyes stared at him without recognition. In fact, he had the strong impression that she was staring through him.

"Damn kid, what did that ass do to you?" he whispered softly, so soft that he might not have said anything at all. However, he was surprised to see the eyes shift slightly and a soft light return. Soft brown eyes now focused on him and the first cut of fear ran through him. He was used to seeing fear on peoples faces when they saw him and he pretended that it didn't bother him, but it did. He would brush it off if she rejected him even after he had saved her life, but it would hurt, more then he wanted to admit to anyone, not even himself.

Somewhere in the room there was a clock that gave a soft tick- tick sound, which seemed a harsh contrast to the silence of the room. Moments passed but nothing happened. No fear glared back at him, no pending scream that he would have to run from. It was just her soft, brown eyes gazing at him peacefully from a scarred face.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" Again nothing was happening as he looked at her, but then there was a slight side to side motion of her head. The movement was so slight that Raph wasn't sure he saw it or not but finally decided that he had. "I heard you scream." Well, that was pretty lame but what else could he say?

"My name is Raphael." Apparently that had been the right thing for him to say because he could see the ghost of a smile play on her lips.

It seemed with her that all her movements were subtle, probably from years of having to learn to hide what she was thinking or feeling. She was only now allowed to start expressing herself once more. The girl was like an infant learning to walk except she was being forced to learn it all over again. There was movement in her jaw muscles and the lips twitched slightly. She took a deeper breath and forced it between her lips whispering her name to him.

Raphael smiled at her and placed a large green hand on hers keeping his touch light. "Well, I am very glad to have met you Alex."

There was a tiny smile before it faded and with it so did the light in her eyes. Wherever her mind had been before he had entered the room, it was clear that she had returned. No longer was she seeing the world before her but looking into a world that only she could see.

"I hope you are happy wherever you are." Raph leaned forward and placed a kiss on Alex's forehead before he stood to go. He silently moved to the window and let himself out, shutting the glass behind him.

"So how long have you been there?"

Mikey stepped out of the shadows he was crouching in a few feet away from his brother. "Long enough," his face fell and a dark sorrow crossed over his features like a light breeze across a lake as he glanced inside the room again. "She's pretty messed up."

Raph glanced over his shoulder and nodded. "Yeah, at least that guy who is responsible isn't going to hurt anyone anymore."

"At least that is one good thing. Anyway," Mikey turned back to his brother, all business like. "We have to get moving. Turns out tonight is the night of the move." Mikey jumped for the building next to where they were standing. "Come on!! Or we're going to miss out on all the fun."

The palms of Raph's hands began to itch for his own blades. Yes, he was looking forward to this up-coming battle with a new passion. Let them come - he was ready to face the entire Foot clan tonight! Raph bounded after his brother across their concrete playground.

Within moments they had traveled a good distance coming up behind Leo and Donnie. Leo shot them both a reprimanding look, which Raph just ignored. He didn't need his brother's blessing for everything that he did. Instead he just started asking questions to avoid any possible lecture. Get Leo's mind back on the fight.

"So what is going on?"

Leo sighed, he recognized the misdirection but he had to agree with Raphael: this was not the time or the place to start an argument. "Well, we still don't really know how the Foot are planning to attack. There is a good possibility they are going to go for the truck once it leaves the dock. It would be the most logical because they would no longer be protected by the museum's security."

"Yes, and security should be at a minimum due to the fact this isn't considered to be a very valuable collection." Donnie added.

"If this is going to be a car chase, shouldn't we have our truck?" asked Mikey.

"No that would be too obvious." Leo sighed, he sounded frustrated. "The Foot would know we are here. Besides, it would seem that they are staying on foot, no pun intended."

He pointed off to the distance and then handed Raph a pair of binoculars to look through. Leo was right, the Foot looked to be doing the same thing that they were: just watching and waiting.

"So that should mean that they probably have some kind of booby-trap set up down the road."

"Well Raph, if you had actually stayed with us then I wouldn't have to being repeating all of this." Leo growled but quickly continued before Raph could say anything. "Donnie and I checked the road for a few miles up the way and we couldn't see anything. We really don't know what the Foot is planning."

"Hmm, imagine that." Raph mumbled more to himself then to anyone else. "Wow, the Foot Elite are over there as well as all the regulars, and Karai. They must be pretty desperate to get their hands on this staff thing."

The sound of Donnie's voice stopped all conversation. "Look, the truck is on the move."

"And so are the Foot." Raph stated handing the binoculars back to Leo.

"Alright, let get a move on."

The truck was traveling all back roads at the moment so it was fairly easy for all to follow, but the turtles were getting concerned as the vehicle continued to move, un hindered by the Foot, enough so that they were concerned that it was a decoy. However, just as Leo was ready to go back to the museum, it happened. One of the Elite threw a small object at the front tires, which was followed by a blinding flash and then a loud boom which all parties could feel roar though their bones. The sound of metal grounding against the unforgiving road was unmistakable. Metal screamed as it was twisted out of its intended shape before the large beast came to a sudden stop.

There were no verbal communications amongst the brothers as they moved towards the crash to meet the Foot. Years of working together allowed them their ability of knowing what each of them was going to do. Leo, Raph and Mikey met the foot like the surf crashes against a jagged cliff. All sound was drowned out with the exception of metal crashing against metal. There was the unforgiving sound of flesh being ripped and bodies falling to the ground. It was a dance the boys had learned a long time ago and they moved like liquid.

While the others fought a path, Donnie moved to the cab of the vehicle pulling out an unconscious driver and moving him away from harm. For a moment, he stood outside the skirmish and spied Karai moving, unchecked, to the back of the truck. He pulled his bo staff and used it to catapult himself over a number of the Foot. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blade move towards him and he swiped it away with his bo, adding a spin kick to the guys head for good measure before he continued his way to Karai.

She had the back of the truck open when he got to her, pulling out what looked like what they were all looking for. Before she could stand up he kicked her hand making her lose her grip and fall back on her haunches. Donnie tried to use this to his advantage by bringing his bo down across her back but even at his quickest it was clear she still had the upper hand. Karai moved, allowing gravity to help her, rolling backwards, rolling to her feet and pulling her katana. Bo met metal with a bone-crushing thud.

"No!!" Karai all but screamed at him. Pure hatred and loathing seeped from her very pores as she stared down her sworn enemy. "I will not allow you turtles to stand in my way again."

Donnie smirked despite the obviously dangerous position he was in. "Well, here we are and it looks like we are doing a pretty good job standing in your way."

"Ahh!!!!" She screamed like a banshee, pulling back her sword and attacking Donatello with a ferocity he didn't think possible in one so small. It took all that he had to counter her blows, he was in trouble again.

Several paces away Leo pulled his sword from some poor souls side letting the man fall at his feet. He heard the terrible scream and looked up expecting perhaps to see Raph with his sie at Karai's throat but instead he saw his brother fighting to stay alive. Panic welled up in him as he looked about himself for some way to get to his brother. Not to far away from Donnie and Karai he saw Raph fighting with one of the Elite, he was by far closer than he was.

"Raph!!" His brother suffered him a glace before he went back to fighting the Elite. "Go help Donnie!!"

With that, Raph turned to see his brother struggling to keep Karai off of him. Raphael turned up the ferocity of his attack on his opponent and knocked the man to the ground. He knew that it wasn't enough to keep the man down but perhaps give him enough time to get to his brother.

"Hold on Donnie!! I'm coming for you, bro!"

Donnie heard his brother's voice but it did him little good at the moment. He blocked a particularly harsh thrust by Karai but as he stepped back to throw a blow of his own but instead he tripped, going down with a hard thud. His bo flew from his hand and he quickly reached about him for anything to use to block Karai's onslaught. Donnie felt something cold and hard, some kind of metal and raised it to his face just in time to stop the cold steel of Karai's blade. He had closed his eyes, not even realizing that he had. When he opened them he was greeted by black eyes looking down at him in shock.

"Give that to me!!" and that was when he noticed that he had grabbed the Staff. The woman reached down, grabbing it with the intent of pulling it out of his grip. However, there was no way she would be able to do so. She might have been the more skilled fighter between the two but there was no way she was stronger then he was.

"Are you mad?! You will just bring back the shredder and we will be back where we started from!"

"You don't know what you are talking about!! You and your brothers took my Father away from me!" She pulled again on the staff but that got her nowhere so she brought up her blade.

Raph moved as fast as he could but he had the sinking feeling that he wasn't going to make it in time. There was a warm, blue light coming form the Staff that the two were fighting over and it was slowly enveloping them both. It was obscuring them slightly from view, but not enough that Raph didn't see Karai lift her sword preparing to strike at Donnie's head.

"DONNIE!!" But the light grew and then like some B grade movie the light imploded soundlessly. Raph covered his eyes, as did everyone else around him. There was an odd pause in all fighting as all eyes turned to the spot were the two fighters had been, only moments before. Both were gone. "Donnie…" Raph chocked out.

It was as if that sound was the signal for fighting to start anew. Raphael didn't care, he felt numb as he walked forward to where his brother had stood only moments before. However, he stopped when he saw motion, a flash of red, out of the corner of his eye. He saw moonlight reflect off a blade as it came down. In a flash of unadulterated anger he swung himself around bringing down his own blade. There was a distant pain in his side and a faint snap that he dismissed, so intent was he on his enemy and bringing down the monster before him.

The tip of his sie sunk deep into the man's neck and when he pulled it out he felt a warm splash of blood crash onto his face. It only served to fuel his anger and, not satisfied with letting him bleed out, he grabbed the head and with his sheer strength snapped the Eliet's spine like a twig.

Raphael was hardly satisfied with his kill and turned to the Foot closest to him and continued to swat them down like flies. There seemed to be no end to his fury but the Foot was now falling away from him, indeed there were very few left. Once again his wrath had the Foot running in terror from him.

"Raph!!" Someone was calling his name but he really didn't care. He might have failed to protect his brother but he would make sure that everyone who was responsible paid for it.

"Damn it, Raphael!!" Hearing his full name did stop him and he looked to his brother.

Leonardo almost didn't recognize his brother - it was as if he had been replaced by some raging beast. Donnie was gone for now, but they had been lost in time before and were able to escape with their lives. He knew they could do it again, but now they had to move. Sirens were screaming in the distance and it would only be a matter of time before police were upon them.

"Raphael, please." He could see some of his brother return to himself. "We have to get out of here."

"Leo, Donnie…" There was a lost look that Leo hadn't seen on his brother since they were perhaps three years old. He closed the distance between them and put his hand on his shoulder.

"We will get him back, but we have to move for now. We would be no good to him if we are captured by police." Leo started moving towards the closest alleyway, pulling Raph with him, not completely trusting him to follow.

Mikey was already waiting for them with a manhole cover opened. The brothers silently descended into the welcoming darkness feeling the loss of Donnie like a crushing vice on each of their hearts.

The walk back home was agonizingly slow, especially for Raph. Now that the adrenaline had run its course through his body, there was a dull ache in his side that was getting harder and harder for him to ignore. He could feel something warm and sticky flowing down his leg. Raph stumbled a bit and he had to use the wall to stay upright. Perhaps if he just rested for a while, he would be okay; they were almost home anyway, just a little further and he would be able to lie down.

There was a bubbling sensation in his chest. He had been trying to ignore that as well but it just seemed to be getting worse. Just a little further. He pushed himself away from the wall and moved forward. There was light coming from the door to their home. Leo must have been walking pretty fast but Mikey was still in the hall waiting for him, he bet.

The tingling in his chest would not be ignored any more and he coughed once, twice and then he wasn't coughing so much as hacking. It took a moment for his fit to settle and when he pulled his hand away from his face there was no mistaking the blood he saw there. He stood, transfixed. He was no doctor but he knew this was not a good sign. Raph wanted to call out for help but he really couldn't muster the energy it would take to do so. Thankfully he didn't have to as Mikey had noticed him and started towards him.

"Hey Raph, you okay man?"

Raph didn't answer right away. He was still gazing at his hand and the blood there. When he looked up he could hardly make out his brother's form. All he could see were white spots dancing about.

"Raph, you look pale. You okay? You're kind of scaring me here."

"No Mikey, I'm not alright," he was able to mutter, before he collapsed.

"RAPH!" Mikey reached out, catching his brother before he hit the ground. "LEO!!"

Mikey didn't have to call out to Leo as he had started in their direction at the first sound of Mikey's panic stricken voice, calling out to their brother. He was at their sides in a blink of an eye.

"What happened?"

"I don't know." Mikey was trying to control the shaking in his voice. "He just stopped walking when he started to cough and then he fell."

Leonardo noticed the splash of red against the tan of the duster Raphael still wore and he gently peeled it away from his side. "Oh my God…" Leo felt, more then heard, Mikey's gasp beside him. What was left of a broken katana, stuck out of his side on the tender part, where his shell met. The blade was in at an obvious angle and it would be deep enough that it could have done serious damage. Leo looked up to Raph's face and saw a thin line of blood trickling out. His heart sank deep in his chest.

"Come on Mikey, we need to get him inside. Help me, you take one side and I will take the other; on the count of three, lift: one, two, three." As fast as the brothers could without jarring Raph too much, they moved him inside to the light. Gently, they put him down on the floor. Quickly, Leo removed Raph's duster from his shoulders and Leo's fears were confirmed. The blade was in deep - any attempt to remove it and Raphael could bleed out in less then a minute. However, they had do something because it was obvious that his lung had been punctured by the katana. Their choices were grim, either let Raph bleed to death or allow him to drown in his own blood.

"Leo, we have to do something." Mikey knew exactly what was going on but he wouldn't give up. This was Raphael. They lost one brother this night; they would not lose another.

Tears were forming at the edge of Leo's eyes and he wiped them away, fiercely. He didn't have time to be emotional. What would Donnie do?

"I know that, but what! Donnie is gone, April is out of town and there is no hospital that we could possibly take him to!"

"Hey! What about the Domio?"

"What?"

"The Domio. They have that healer for their warriors. I think it is the best shot we have."

Leo thought for a second. His brother was right. It was perhaps their only choice. Raph started to cough again, even though he was no longer conscious. "Alright, stay with him and I will open the gate."

Mikey nodded and propped Raph up as best he could. He really hoped that the healer never left the nexus when the tournaments were not going on. If he did then they were screwed. If they didn't get this right the first time…well he didn't even want to think about what would happen.

Leo worked fast. Even though it took only moments to open the gate, it felt like an eternity to him. However, there was the familiar bubbling sound of water as it lifted itself up, creating a passage for them.

"Alright. Let's keep him between us and hope it is a softer landing than last time." They locked arms behind Raph's shell and each grabbed one of his legs and stepped through.

The world around them disappeared as they were pulled into the next one. Bright lights of their home faded and were replaced by grey overcast skies. It was perhaps a ten-foot drop and both brothers braced themselves for the landing but try as they might, they could not stop from jarring Raph. Mikey felt his feet slide about under him on the muddy soil. He slipped, pulling both Raph and Leo down with him. Raph let out a strangled cry as the blade was pushed deeper.

"Oh God, Raph, no!!" Mikey cried out when he realized what he had done. "I'm so sorry!!"

"Come on Mikey, we have to get moving!!"

Mikey got to his feet and tried to stay standing as he helped Leo pick Raph back up. They started off in an eastward direction towards the Domio's palace. They began to pick up pace till they were at a slightly awkward jog. Mikey could feel his muscles screaming in protest as they moved. He was fit but nowhere near as fit as his two other brothers and now he was paying the price. However, he would not allow himself to slow. Mikey could hear each raspy breath that Raphael took and with each gasp for breath, he knew he had to keep moving. There simply was no other choice.

It was a lesson that Sensi had tried to drill into him but, like many things, he had brushed it off. Mind over body: it was the ability to focus on a goal and push past physical pain. He needed that power now as his arms had gone numb and his chest hurt with each breath he gasped. Mikey knew that he was slowing Leo down.

"'In this life we only have each other, if one of us goes down, we all go down…"" That was what Leo had told him all those years ago at his rematch at the Battle Nexus and it still held as true this day as it had then. Mikey found his focus, he would not be the reason they lost Raph. Ignoring the pain and numbness, Mikey increased his speed and found Leo increasing with him.

The healer's house was in sight now and they ran as fast as they could, with their load, up the steps. Together, Mikey and Leo both raised their legs, giving the doors a fierce kick -enough to knock them off their hinges. The crash echoed through the marble building like a bomb, causing someone to scream off in the distance, but it served its purpose. The healer entered the room with his robes billowing behind him. He took one look at the terrapins and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Please sir, you have to help us." Leo spoke between gasps for breath. "This honored warrior is wounded and in need of your help."

Mikey wondered absently how Leo came up with this crap. If it was left up to him he would have just yelled at the man to do something. Good thing he wasn't the one doing the talking.

"What is the nature of his wound?" the man asked, coming over to get a better look. Before either of them could answer the healer had seen the sword. Quickly he placed his hands on Raphael chanting softly in a language nether of them understood. Opening his eyes he stepped away and started to bark orders to those around him. Turning back to the brothers, he gestured for them to follow him.

"Place him down there –yes. Now go."

"But, is he going to be okay?" Mikey asked, as he was being kicked out of the room.

"Impossible to say - it has been a long time since I have seen such grave injuries. Now I want both of you out!!" Large heave oak doors were slammed in their faces with a cold finality.

A darkness began to creep over Mikey at the realization that that might have been the last time he would ever see Raph alive. Exhaustion, fear and sorrow washed over him and he fell to his knees. He felt his brother step closer to him and he laid his head against his thigh, tears falling silently down his cheeks. His brother placed a hand on the top of Mikey's head, absently mimicking their Father.

"What happens now, Leo?"

"Don't really know Mikey. Wait and see I guess." With that, both brothers fell silent, longingly looking at two solid doors.

A/N: So if anyone out there is enjoying this story, then please let me know. I am having a lot of fun writing it I only hope that people are enjoying reading it as well. For those who have reviewed, thank you very much. (-:


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: The Turtles are not mine and I am not making any money off this story. I am just having some fun with the characters.

A/N: Okay, this was by far the most difficult chapter to write for me to date as I had a hard time getting a feel for Karai's character. It is also shorter than the other chapters. I decided it would be easier to break then next two chapters into four parts to make it easier to read. I hope that everyone who is reading this is still enjoying it though.

Chapter Four

They landed with a horrible crash onto unforgiving ground. Donnie lay on his back unable to move right away, gasping, the fall had knocked all of his breath out of his lungs. He turned his head to see Karai in a similar state perhaps only a few feet away from him. However, she didn't have the luxury of having a shell to break the fall. Good, it would give him a chance to move again before she was on a killing rampage again.

With a grown he forced himself to sit up, placing a hand to his head as if that would somehow stop it form spinning. Wait, was he spinning or was that the world? Not only that, but where were they? Slowly his eyes adjusted to the semi darkness about him. Everything was different but somehow the same which really didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Dark clouds covered the sky limiting the amount of light around them. A broken street lamp was sputtering, the only artificial light in their immediate area. It was casting strange shadows about on the remnants of the street. Donatello looked toward the heart of the city but instead of the bright glare it normally gave off, in its place was a dim, dirty glow. Indeed, they were almost non-existent. The pavement underneath him was cracked and torn with age and abuse. It didn't appear that any vehicle had passed over it in some time. Nature had slowly taken over once more. Creeping up over the tar like a green wave. Somewhere off in the distance, Donatello could make out some kind of strange humming which seemed to be out of place. He found the whole situation very disconcerting.

Donatello's concern deepened several degrees. Despite the amount of decay of their surroundings, the crumbling buildings and worn road, they were on the same street where the truck had crashed. It was the Staff, he was sure. Perhaps it hadn't taken them back in time but rather into the future? Most likely because of Karai's deep need to be in a place where her father would also be. Yet, if that was the case then this couldn't be their future but a parallel one. The Utron monstrosity had somehow activated and put both him and Karai in this world, whatever this world was.

There was a moan beside him and he looked to see Karai slowly rising. He looked about for his bo but didn't see it anywhere. Don didn't want to use the Staff again as there would be no telling what would happen or where it might send them so he placed it on his back where his own bo normally sat. However, Karai looked to be without her weapons as well so at least in hand to hand combat, he had her beaten.

She groaned and moved to get up, stopping to place a hand on her head. Apparently the world was spinning for her, too. "What have you done, Donatello?"

The question took him off guard - What had he done! "I didn't do anything, you mad woman! You were trying to kill me!"

"And make no mistake I will achieve my goal in honor of my Father." With that, she finally stood putting herself in a fighting stance, waiting for Donatello to do the same. He did as such, for the lack of anything else that he could do. She came at him with surprising speed for someone who just fell out of the sky. However, her blows were a bit weaker than normal and lacked some of their ferocity from earlier. Karai was either hurt more than she was letting on or she was also concerned with wherever they were. However, he figured it was more due to the fact that she was hurt.

They continued the dace out of habit but there were other things that they needed to concern themselves with. The most glaring one was how they would get back to their own time.

"Karai." He couldn't believe that she was still concerned about fighting. Yet, if he was completely honest with himself he wasn't really all that surprised. "We are in the middle of who knows where in who knows what kind of danger and you want to continue fighting me? You are obviously hurt and you know that I am going to win."

She didn't answer right away but he knew that she understood him. All he would have to do to end this fight was to put just a little more effort in his blocks, switching from defensive moves to attack ones and he could bring her down. His physical strength alone could stop her.

"I do not care where we are! All I need is the Staff…" and her fist made contact with his jaw but it wasn't even enough to bruise. If he were any of his other brothers there would be very little of Karai left. Indeed, if she had been stuck with Raph, Don doubted that she would even still be alive.

Donatello grabbed Karai's fist in his own hand, refusing to let go as she struggled. She was getting tired which made holding her still easier, but he let go of her anyway. He cut her off before she could go any further. Spreading his arms in an all encompassing gesture, with the Staff still firmly in his belt and he yelled back at her, "We are wasting time! Are you really that much of an obsessive fool?!"

She was about to answer but stopped as a terrible boom sounded off in the not too distant distance. Both turtle and human looked before them as the hum from before was turning into a steady roar. Something large was heading their way and he swore he could hear gunfire. Donnie looked towards the sky and saw dark, metallic creatures coming closer. His heart sank; there was no doubt where they were now. Donatello had been here before and it wasn't some place he had ever wanted to see again. They were both in grave danger. He grabbed Karai's arm and started to pull her from the streets and out of plain sight.

"Come on! We have to get out of the street."

Karai had been frozen at the resonating boom, which sounded too much like a bomb going off for her comfort. Perhaps Donatello was right; they should know more of their surroundings before they continued their fight. However, she did not like being handled.

"Unhand me!" and Donatello did just that. He tossed her into the alley between the two closest buildings, by an old dumpster. The unexpected force of his release caused her to fall to her hands and knees, her shoulder making contact with the rotting, metal framing. A jolt of pain shot down her side that resonated throughout her body. She turned to voice her complaint but stopped as he crouched in front of her. Karai bit her tongue when she caught a glimpse of Donatello's face. He looked pale if such a thing was possible.

"I know where we are," he shot over his shoulder to her in a grim sounding voice. He sounded to her like someone who was waiting for their execution and had simply resigned themselves to that fate.

"Alright," she whispered back. Obviously this was not the time for them to be fighting. If they were going to get out of this then they would have to at least try to work together. That would have to wait for now. "So where are we?"

"This is the world where your Father came back to rule. Humans are slaves in this world."

"My Father would not…" She froze when she suddenly recognized her own voice on a loud intercom system somewhere off in the distance. She heard her own voice saying things like the rebels were dead and there was no hope. Swear loyalty for the Shredder as he was the true master… "No…" but her voice drifted off on its own.

"You were saying, Karai?"

All thought left her as she sat there with her mouth open. It couldn't be, could it? Her Father wasn't this much of a monster. To have reduced this city to rubble, no, she knew there had to be something else to this world. She had always known there was a darker side to her Father but at the same time, there was good there too. After all, he had saved her as a child and there was no reason for him to do so, right?

There was no more time for talking or concerns about past or possible futures as a small band of fighters burst forth onto the street. They were all young and all were fighting for the right to be alive. A few were running with their guns pointed to the skies at their pursuers.

The Utrons, who were monitoring the skies, converged on one point above the fighters and began shooting. Random rays of blue and green lights erupted from both sides and the darkness about them was illuminated nightmarishly. Karai watched as many of the young soldiers fell, their bodies giving off the scent of dead, burnt flesh.

Off one of the alleyways another group of mismatched fighters emerged with more guns pointed to the skies. Confusion surrounded them all, humans, turtle and Utrons in a matter of moments.

The machines in the sky began dropping grenade type objects onto the people below them as well. The fighters redoubled their efforts to avoid certain death as they ran for cover amongst the surrounding architecture. Bodies continued to fall while others tried to help the wounded and still others were returning fire.

Karai and Donatello continued to watch the scene unfold in front of them with a growing horror. Karai was many things but she was not a blind killer. Never would she have taken on a battle that would lead to the deaths of so many young fighters. Indeed, this was not a battle that they were watching; it was more akin to a slaughter.

A young boy with a gun caught her eye. He was cut off from the rest of his fellow fighters by falling derbies and he was picked out by one of the circling Utron. At any moment he would be dead. Karai went to move but Donatello shoved her back down.

"Stay where you are!" And without any further thought to his own personal safety, Donatello ran out to the street to the boy.

"Donatello! Look out!" She shouted to him when she saw one of the metal contraptions bring about a set of guns. There was an explosion followed by a blinding light and Donatello went down. That was all that she could see as her line of sight was blocked by pulverized brick. She began to choke as cement dust settled into her lungs. Karai suddenly doubted her ability to stay where she was. As soon as the turtle had moved from their hiding place it had been compromised. Now, more then ever, she missed her weapons. However, she doubted that her katana would have been much help with air borne enemies.

One of the flying humanoid shapes from above swooped down lower, arming its guns. Karai only had a matter of moments to move before it opened fire. The building started to crumble about her, which forced her to keep moving as fast as her legs could carry her. Before she knew it she was a good distance away from the main fighting with several tons of rubble in her way. At least the Utron seemed happy that it had buried her alive. Yet she had to get back to Donatello. He still had the Staff and that was their only way out of this place - although she doubted her ability to get back the way that she had just come. Karai would just have to go around.

Karai took off at a jog, heading back to where she hoped Donatello would still be. The deafening sound of fighting was everywhere as well as the blinding flashes of lights. Without little effort she found herself once again in the center of all the fighting. Untrained but deadly soldiers ran about her but the look on their faces showed fear, more then just fear at the sky. There was a rumble groaning through the ground like a series of small earthquakes. There was no doubt that something else was coming.

There was a deep sound, as if something very heavy was walking towards them and sure enough she could hear the ugly grind of metal coming towards them all. When she looked up she could barely believe what she saw. If she doubted her or her father's involvement in the creation of this New York, Karai no longer could. Proof was walking towards them, in her likeness, as a legion of Karai bots was bearing down upon them. People were dying all around her but there was nothing that she could do to stop any of it and Donatello was nowhere in sight.

There was another explosion over her head and she looked up in time to see what was left of an old gargoyle falling towards the earth. She ran, but even as fast as she was, there was no way she would be fast enough. Beside her ran another young warrior, wounded on his side. Without thought to her own safety she grabbed his shoulder shoving him out of harm's way. Karai felt the pain of being struck and all she could do was allow herself to fall. She lay still; she knew it would only be a matter of moments before she would be dead. Craning her neck as much as she could she saw the blank eyes of the boy she had tried to save, shot in the back. Her time was also coming; the blind metal feet of the robots her father had commissioned were coming closer. She would be crushed and no one would ever know.

So this is how she was going to die. Not in some honorable fight but crushed by a machine that didn't even know that she was there. However, as the foot came down she became aware of another presence. One that she had not thought should be where she was but it was there. A hand gripped her shoulder and she was jerked suddenly to the side. Intense pain filled her entire being with a blinding force. She was sure the falling debris had fractured, if not broken, a few bones. When the blackness crushed her she was more then ready for its weight, welcoming the momentary peace it offered.

When she next opened her eyes she was aware of the stifling silence. Well, perhaps not complete silence as she could still hear people screaming and bombs going off but it was all very far away now. It was as if someone had left a TV on too loud in the room opposite to where she was. It just didn't seem to be real.

Very slowly, Karai sat up and gazed about her. She gripped an arm about her ribs as most of her current pain seemed to radiate from that spot. For the second time that evening her head was spinning and she fought the urge not to throw up. She brought her other hand to her forehead as if that would somehow help. It did perhaps, a little.

The world was still out of focus but she didn't need her sight to tell her that she was not alone. Again she was struck by the feeling that someone else was with her, someone important that she knew all too well. He was someone that she would always know when he was near no matter how much she wished otherwise.

She looked about herself cautiously and then she saw him. Like some dark avenging angel, he stood with his back to her. He seemed different, taller, and more powerful then she knew him to be. The only movement about him was coming from the long black coat he wore as a small wind pushed it casually about. Karai moved to her feet as carefully and quietly as she could, not to attack but to prepare herself for whatever might happen next. This was not her world and she was not in control of anything here.

"Leonardo." She said his name softly, almost fearfully.

He turned slightly at the sound of her voice and she noticed for the first time that he was no longer wearing his blue bandana. In fact, he looked little like the Leonardo that she knew. This one was older, covered in far more scars then she remembered him having. He wore black goggles, the kind that a blind person might wear. However, the one thing that had not changed, were his swords, which were still strapped to his back.

Karai refused to take a step back as he turned to face her completely. There was something about this Leonardo that she found more terrifying then she was willing to admit. There was something missing in this Leonardo.

"About time you woke up."

His voice had also changed - it was cold and devoid of the passion he always barely kept in check. This was not the creature that she had once known. He was someone else completely. She felt honest fear run up her spine as he drew one of his katana.

"I have been waiting for this moment a long time Karai. I finally have you exactly where I want and there will be no one coming to save you this time."

Karai had the distinct feeling that if she stayed where she was Leonardo would have no problem cutting her down so she moved into a defensive pose. "I have no weapon…"

A dark smile crossed his lips devoid of any real feeling. "Can't have that now, can we?" He tossed her one sword and it landed at her feet.

"Now Karai, do you really think I would cut you down without giving you a chance to defend yourself? You forget, I am not the one who is a monster between us." The smile vanished and a look a pure hatred took its place. Karai's heart raced in her chest. She had never seen Leonardo like this not even when he had threatened to kill her after she had threatened his family. This Leo terrified her.

"Pick it up Karai and let us end this once and for all!"

Karai barley had time to move as he came at her with his own katana drawn, shrieking a battle cry as swords met with a fierce clash.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles and I am not making any money off of this story.

A/N: By the way, Donnie and Karai went to the world that was featured in the episode "Same As It Never Was."

Chapter 5

Donatello ran to the boy who was struggling to get to his feet. He heard Karai's voice from behind him and he redoubled his efforts. With a burst of speed he was beside the boy, who looked dazed as a bit of blood ran down his forehead. Donatello felt the air around him change before he felt the resonating boom through his body. He allowed himself to fall towards the young human, using his shell as a shield for both of them.

Cut stone fell onto his back, slicing open the tender skin on his arms and hands but he didn't let himself be crushed. His arms began to shake with the effort it was taking him to stay off the boy enough not to crush him. It felt like the entire building was falling down on him. Donatello cried out in pain as a particularly large piece of masonry crashed down onto his leg.

After what felt like an eternity everything started to settle about them. He could still hear the fighting but it had moved further down. At least they were in relative peace for the moment.

Donatello used the strength left in his arms, lifting himself enough to get his legs further under him. He looked to the boy beneath him. The kid was still conscious but looked lost. He most likely was not sure what to think about a turtle being his savior.

"Hold on kid, I'll get us out of this. Just try and keep your head down." Don got a small nod and then he set about trying to unbury them. He really wasn't all that fond of enclosed places and he was desperately trying to ignore the fact that they were essentially buried alive. There was no way of knowing how far under they were, either.

Thankfully, they were not that bad off and he felt his hand break the surface. "Alright kid, hold on." He felt the boy do as he was told, plastering his face against Don's chest as he forced them both up. Brick and mortar slowly moved away from them like muddy water and in a matter of seconds they were both gasping for the cool air of the night. Covered in blood and powdered cement they continued to climb free of the wreckage.

They had been lucky; there was no doubt in Donnie's mind. Three quarters of the building beside them was in fact gone and now laying in the street. A good portion had fallen on them but they managed to escape the worst of it. The building on the other side of the one they had almost been buried under was completely gone now. He could see the remnants of those who had not been as lucky as them and his heart fell in his chest. He hated to see this much senseless death. Don turned to the young boy, who now, he could see a bit clearer, looked to be no more then fifteen. He remembered being that young but at that moment it felt more like a lifetime ago instead of ten years.

"Come on." He offered his hand as the kid was obviously struggling with an injured leg. When the boy hesitated he gave a reassuring smile. Or at least what he really hoped was a reassuring smile. "Come on, I don't bite."

"Thanks." He allowed Don to help him down from the rubble, getting over his shock of being saved by a mutated turtle. "By the way, my name is John."

"Nice to meet you John, my name is Donatello."

That was all the time they had to spare on pleasantries. There were shouts from the distance and gunfire. Both terrapin and human stood, transfixed, as the rebel fighters tried to bring down one of the huge robots. It crashed into yet another building but the old structure wasn't yet ready to fall. The Karai robot pushed itself upright in order to continue its attack on the humans running around like insects in front of it.

"Come on!" John shouted at him, running as fast as he could on his bummed leg, towards a laser gun that lay forgotten; its previous owner most likely dead. "There's another one right over there."

He hesitated, not from wanting to join in on the fight but he was looking for Karai. He had left her not twenty paces from where he currently stood but she was nowhere in sight. Indeed, the building that they had originally been using for cover was all but gone. Well, he really didn't have time to worry about her. She was capable of taking care of herself and he would have to leave it at that for now. He felt a strong need to help these people and that was what he was going to do.

Donatello looked in the direction he was indicated to look in and saw the offending piece of gadgetry. He wiped some of the sweat and blood from his face as he jogged over and picked it up, following John back into the thick of the fighting.

"Dad!" John shouted to a rather stout looking middle-aged man. The man tore his eyes away from the advancing bots, barking orders to those about him before chancing a glance at his son. Relief washed over his features.

"John! Thank god! I told you to stay close!" They were suddenly forced to move back again as more rubble began to rain down from above them. The random shooting started up again, drawing the bots off momentarily, allowing the humans to gain more distance.

"It's okay Dad, one of the brothers helped me." John yelled to be heard over the racket about them.

The man looked fully on Donatello and nodded his thanks to him. "Glad you showed up. Which one are you?"

Donatello hid his surprise from the men. Of course he guessed it did make some sense. In this world his brothers had seemed to take up a bit of freelancing for the rebels. More like April was the only thing his brothers held in common here and it made sense that all the rebels would know of them at least. She probably used them whenever she could.

"Umm, my name is Donatello."

"Sir!" a worn looking woman came to them out of breath. She looked to Donatello like she should have been someone's grandmother not a soldier in this insane war. The woman waited for John's father to acknowledge her before she started her report. "Sir, at this rate we are not going to get away. The bots have us blocked in from the east and the Utrons above us are covering all other exits." A deep sorrow set itself on John's father's face and he spared his son a glance. "Right now there is no way for us to get underground, undetected."

Donatello looked between the two. "Where are you lot trying to get to?"

"Underground into the sewers - it's where we have a small base. We were initially on a supply run but the patrolling Utrons in the skies, saw us."

Donatello hazarded a look to the skies and then to the bots in front of them. Rebel fighters were doing a good job at holding everyone off but it wouldn't last forever. It was an easy battle plan, one that Master Splinter had drilled into his sons, unrelentingly. Expend as little energy as possible. Allow your enemy to wear themselves out first. Then, attack with all of your might.

"All we need is a good distraction." An idea was forming in Donatello's mind and he smiled at the humans. "Shouldn't be that hard, where is the nearest exit?"

John looked at him blankly for a moment before he gathered himself together again. "In the old Shadow Wick apartment building, in the basement." He pointed perhaps a quarter of a mile down the road to one of the few buildings still standing along the street.

"Good, it looks somewhat sound. Alright, we are going to need to get everyone on the same page if this is going to work. You guys with me?"

"Hell yeah," the older man said with a crooked smile. "Anyway we can get out of this alive would be good." He sobered up again. "We've already lost too many."

Don just gave the man a slight nod and turned back to the woman. "We need to get everyone headed in that general direction. Get one of those stupid bots to follow you."

"And what are you going to do?" Doubt was clear in her voice.

"I am going to bring down one of those robots and hopefully, if everything goes well, with all the flying rubble and smoke it should give us enough cover to get into that building."

She inclined her head slightly as if seeing Donatello in a new light. "And what is going to stop them from figuring out where we all went."

At that Don held up the laser gun he was still holding. "I think a secondary explosion should work. One that would destroy the building to such an extent that they will think we all died. I doubt they take the time to look for our remains."

The woman gave him a smile. "Well, then I am glad you came along. Good luck." She took off at a run, a new mission in mind.

"By the way," John's father held out his hand to Donatello. Three fingers gripped five. "My name is Eric."

"Nice to meet you; now both of you need to get moving." Donatello swung the gun he held over his shoulder as he reassessed his goal. Which bot would be the best to take down? There was one that didn't seem to be functioning as well as the others. It was already damaged; it would work perfectly.

Donatello went to move forward but a slim hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked back at John. "Be careful."

"Don't worry kid, I always am. It's my brothers you have to watch out for."

Donatello moved over the rubble into plain sight. It was a matter of seconds and he was suddenly a moving target for both the robots and the Utrons. He kept his breathing neutral using an almost precognitive ability to dodge the guns that were aimed at him. Years of training were guiding him now to his goal. Somewhere behind him he recognized Eric's voice shouting orders for those around him to give him cover, but that didn't matter. He kept moving.

These Karai bots were not built for close quarter fighting like the others and seemed more awkward then the last set Don and his brothers took on. They were built to destroy from a distance by way of the large guns they carried.

Once he was in a stones throw to the thing, he found scaling the metal fairly easy. The heavy arms moved about as if to swat at a fly but Don dodged them easily enough, moving up its back to what he hoped was the control box.

The soldiers below were doing a good job at keeping everything moving towards their goal, which only left Donatello to hold up his part. He pulled out a utility knife from his belt and started to undo the screws on the back panel. It seemed like a fairly easy plan at the beginning but Donatello felt like he was on some kind of cheap amusement park ride as the robot continued to try and dislodge him. To make matters worse one of the patrolling Utrons decided to open fire on him - apparently they weren't too concerned about the bots coming back in one piece.

He needed to get off the back of this monstrosity before he ended up as someone's turtle soup. This simply was not turning out to be his day. Next time Leo decided they needed to go on patrol he would just have to refuse. Damn the consequences.

With new vigor he pulled back the front of the control panel and was greeted with a number of wires. Where everyone else would have seen confusion, Donnie saw logic and by a simple rearrangement, he overrode the main circuits. They were in position and there was no reason to wait any longer. Sparks started to fly and the oversized lump of metal began to convulse.

Don dropped down as fast as he could as the bot started to fall towards the ground and took off at a run towards the other fighters. At least this was something that was working out perfectly. The Karai bot began to collapse, blocking everyone from view as they disappeared into the building. An explosion rocked the foundation and the walls began to crack as people ran down the only set of stairs that led to the basement of the building.

Hot flames were licking at their feet as Donatello ran though the last door and Eric closed it behind him. It wouldn't hold the flames out for long but just long enough for Don to set up the second part of his plan. Don pulled the gun from his shoulder, gesturing to John and his father to hand him theirs as well.

"Okay, you guys get moving. It will take me a sec to reprogram this thing." He glanced around the room to the perhaps a dozen men and women. "Go on, people!"

"Right, you heard the turtle, let's get moving!" At Eric's order everyone did start to move.

Donnie rewired the gun and sat it down. They would have perhaps five minutes to get out of the general vicinity before it went off; should be plenty of time. He jumped down the sewer entrance, drawing the heavy lid back over his head. Don started to run, coming upon the rebels far quicker than he had hoped.

"Come on, run!" It was all the encouragement that was needed as everyone began to move, as quickly as they could, away from the pending secondary explosion. When it finally went off they could all feel the walls tremble around them. There would be no going back the way that they had come as the tunnel had now collapsed on itself.

Everyone's pace began to slow as they continued down the long expanse. No one was talking; everyone was too exhausted. The walls around them began to widen as they went deeper. The soft sound of people talking in hushed tones, greeted them, as did a warm light as they rounded the last corner.

Donatello gazed about himself to what seemed a very well organized group of people. They were all living in close quarters but they did so on good terms. However, there seemed to be a large amount of injured about, which perhaps made sense. After all, they were in the middle of a war. Donatello caught sight of Eric and his son and headed off in their direction.

"Is there anything that I can do to help you guys out?" he asked.

Eric paused, "Donatello, you have already done so much for us. I really hate to ask any more of you."

"Really, I am fine. I want to help."

Eric's lips cracked into a smile. "Well, we have plenty of injured and only one person skilled enough to help. I don't suppose you would be handy with thread and needle?"

"I have to admit I am more an engineer than a doctor, but I have gotten pretty good at patching up my brothers."

"Good, Sally over here will get you started."

Donatello glanced over at the same woman he had talked to earlier. He fell into step beside her as she started to show him around. "We are going to need more supplies, would you go and get them?"

Don got directions and headed down one of the smaller tunnels. The light started to fade but not enough that he couldn't still see where he was going. He found the door he was looking for and pushed it open. For a moment he simply stood still. Exhaustion was finally starting to creep over his bones. His wounds were becoming continual aches. What he wouldn't give for a good night's sleep.

Any other time he would have heard the footsteps behind him. Any other time he would have heard the creak of the door. Any other time wasn't now and he missed all the warning signs. It was already too late for him when he felt arms tighten around him and the cloth smashed up to his face. Donatello fought but the drugs were running though his system too fast and he was already too tired. His sight began to blacken as he slumped to the floor in an unceremonious heap.

A/N: So next chapter we find out what happened to Raph…will he live or will he die? And what mess has Donnie got himself into this time? Stay tuned to find out….


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles and I am making no money off this story.

Chapter 6

It had been hours and still no word. The odd person would walk from the room carrying bloodied rags but then the door would close behind them again. They would return with clean towels and fresh water but the brothers still had no word. Leonardo had given up asking as to the welfare of their fallen brother. None were forthcoming with any information. Indeed, they would avoid eye contact at all cost and would side step Leonardo as if he was the bearer of the bubonic plague. It made Mikey's blood chill in his veins so he would try to look away, think about something else.

Yet no matter how much he tried there was nothing his mind could focus on except the look of shear agony on Raph's face before his loss of consciousness. The blood running like some dark, obscene river down his wounded side and the oversized blade protruding like some deformed claw. It was an image from one of his B-rated horror flicks but this didn't have some outlandish ending that he would laugh at. This was real, his brother was just in the other room possibly dying and he could not do anything about it. Fate held them all in her impassive grip, chillingly uncaring about each of them. They were of no more importance than dice tossed upon a table. Sure, everyone would look to see how the pieces would land but once all movement stopped everyone would turn away with a passive disinterest. The few who knew them would bow their heads in a momentary sorrow before they went on with their normal lives, not ever truly understanding just how much the brothers had really lost.

If they did lose Raph and Donnie, Mikey wondered what would be left of them then. How would he and Leo survive? The loss of their Father and master had been like a festering wound. It had started to heal over but the scab was still brittle and painful. It would be ready to spill its blood once more if it were to be pressed too hard.

Michelangelo was sure it would be his end if he lost two brothers in one day. He would live each day hereafter as a reminder to what he and Leonardo had lost. No time would ever pass him by that would not be a painful stab to his very being. Every distant, painful tick of a clock would be to him, a living reminder of this moment: their moment of true loss. It would be a loss of meaning and of purpose. Loss of everything his life had ever meant to him. They would live, Leonardo and himself, but they would be nothing more than the walking dead. Hollow, empty shells of themselves, devoid of the passion and life that once filled them both. It was the passion that once filled all four of them. He doubted anyone would even recognize them.

Mikey pushed his head suddenly back against the unyielding marble pillar behind him with enough force that he saw lights flash behind his closed eyes. The subsequent crack of his skull echoed about the barren room but the sharp pain it created had the desired effect of clearing his head of its current, painful montage.

He opened his eyes to see that Leonardo had momentarily stopped his pacing to glance his way. However, he didn't say anything to him. Leo looked at his brother without really seeing him before he resumed his endless back and forth pattern. Mikey had seen that look a thousand times before and he knew it well. Wheels were turning in his head, sorting all the things that had happened to them thus far and what would come next. He knew that Leonardo was just as worried as he was but he was simply better at prioritizing - looking at facts and scenarios before overreacting. That ability in him, to stay calm while others around him fell apart, was one of the many reason their Father always put him in charge. Whether or not the rest of them liked it or not, Leo was a good leader and Mikey found himself admiring Leo's many strengths, especially as he currently felt he had none of his own.

Over and over he saw the events of the past day like some demented celluloid image that was constantly being flashed behind his closed, and even opened, eyes. Powerless and weakened, the silence between the brothers closed in on them like a dark, waning pit. The soft slap of Leo's bare feet on the stone floors the only continual sound about them.

The silence was slowly driving Mikey to a level of insanity and pent up energy that he had never experienced before in his life. He let out a long-suffering sigh before he leaned back against the post he had chosen to support himself with. Mikey had propped himself up against a far pillar in such a way that he still had a clear view of the solid, oak doors. The floor was cold and his body stiff but he was only mildly aware of these things. He had lost most sensation in his extremities about an hour past. Heaven help him if they were suddenly under attack. Mikey doubted his ability to demand movement from his legs or arms.

There was a creaking sound from the doors Mikey had closed his eyes against. He tried momentarily not to look, but he simply couldn't, especially when he heard Leo stop in mid-step. Slowly, he opened his eyes again, a deep-seeded panic trying to push itself to the foremost of his mind. He wouldn't let it; he couldn't give up on Raph that fast.

A very weary-looking healer stood at the door that, for the first time since they had arrived, was left ajar instead of being closed hastily behind whoever had emerged. The man stroked his long beard as he took a step towards Leonardo. His brother stood a bit taller as if preparing to take on the weight of the world.

"I have done all that I can for now."

The man's deep voice was soft but at such a contrast to the silence that had been suffocating Mikey that the old healer could have just as easily shouted at them. Words, while he had understood them instantly, did not want to process though his mind. Did he mean that Raph was alive? That had to be what he meant to say. Michelangelo could not handle the idea of anything else.

Stifling his groan of pain as he forced himself to stand, Mikey went to move towards the other two men in the room. However, he could not move right away due to the inability to feel his own legs underneath himself. The blood moved like congealed cement bringing with it a dull ache that was turning into a continual roar. He ignored the pains of his body as he moved closer, moving more like their Master in his later years than as the young man he was.

Leo glanced his way again and when he saw him moving towards them he turned back to the healer and voiced both their concerns. "Is our brother alive?"

The healer was quiet for only a moment but the pregnant pause almost brought Mikey's panic to the forefront once again. But the man began speaking again.

"Yes, he is alive for now." He looked once at each of them with grave eyes. "I have done all that I can for your brother. His wounds were very deep and I had to use ancient magic as well as more traditional techniques. Currently, he is in a very deep sleep."

The old man said the word 'sleep' as if it were a heavy thing. "What do you mean by sleep?" Leo pushed the old man for more information.

"It is not a normal sleep. It is one he may or may not wake up from that is caused by his injuries. If he wakes up is now completely up to him." At that the healer reached out and placed what was meant to be a comforting hand on Leonardo's shoulder but it was anything but. The man then turned to Michelangelo to give him the same gesture but Mikey pulled back abruptly. The hand froze in mid air and their eyes met. "I am truly sorry my friends."

Mikey watched the man go anger and sorrow at war behind his eyes. A part of him wanted to hit the old git for having to audacity to think he knew what sorry meant. How could the man truly be sorry? It wasn't his brother in there it was his! Yet, he had to get control of himself, the man did more then Leonardo or he could have ever done.

"You ready, Mikey?" Leo asked him.

Leonardo looked at him with uncertainty and Mikey realized for perhaps the first time that Leo was in fact terrified. So much for being cool and collected. "Yeah, lets go."

They stepped through the forbidden doors together. It took less than a second to find their brother in the mostly bare room and they both stopped. Raphael was lying on a marble slab with a thin mat as his only source of padding. Pristine white bandages were wrapped around his midsection. His mask had been removed and sat beside Raph on a small table along with his knee and elbow pads. His normally deep green parlor had faded to a paler version of itself.

Mikey moved to his brother's side, a slight figured nurse moved aside for him. He placed a hand onto Raphael's shoulder and was alarmed at the cool flesh. For all intent and purposes, if not for the faint rise and fall of Raph's chest, Mikey could have easily taken his brother for dead.

"Don't worry Mikey, Raph isn't one to give up on anything. I am sure he will pull through this."

Mikey looked at Leo, "How can you be so sure?"

Leonardo didn't answer him and just looked down at Raph and his brow knitted together in thought. "That can't be comfortable." Leo muttered more to himself then to Mikey.

Mikey watched in confusion as his older brother started to look about himself as if looking for the final piece of a puzzle. Suddenly, he stepped away to a pile of towels in one of the far corners of the room. He brought it back over, folding it as he went. Leonardo leaned over Raph's head gently lifting it to place the folded towel under the other turtle's head.

Michelangelo shook his head at his brother. Leonardo simply couldn't let anything be, he had to be doing something. Probably the only reason he wasn't a blubbering mess.

Leo looked over at his youngest brother. Mikey was stronger than most people gave him credit for and he knew their Father would have been proud of him. Now if only Raph would pull through and Donnie, he had to do something about Donnie, but what!? Leo was well and truly at a loss. They had to simply wait. Perhaps the Domio would be able to help them further? There wasn't anything more he could do for Raphael at the moment so perhaps now would be the best time to talk to the old man.

"Mikey, I want to go and talk to the Domio. You think you will be okay here with Raph?"

"Well as I don't think he will be going any where any time soon, sure, whatever." Mikey stopped and thought about it a moment. "Do you think he will be able to use the war staff to bring back Donnie?"

Leo shrugged his shoulders looking out the only window in the room. It was small but offered an opening for the warm rays of the sun to reach in. Apparently the clouds had lifted some as the day wore on. "I don't know but I am hoping that it will."

"Alright then, go. I don't really want to leave Raph alone." He looked back to the unmoving figure. He had grasped Raph's forearm and he wasn't yet willing to let go. "You know, just in case he wakes up or something."

"Good idea. I will be back as soon as I can."

Leonardo walked from the room and out onto the streets. It felt good to be going somewhere to be moving with a purpose in his step. It allowed him time to blank out his mind to try and forget about the things that had happened. Allowed him time to consider the future from another perspective.

He took the steps that lead up to the palace two at a time; a new hope was filling him. Guards bade him enter the throne room and his eyes fell upon the man he sought. The Domio sat upon his thrown with wide, alert eyes. He gave Leonardo a small sad smile. Of course he knew why Leo and Mikey had come. Nothing happened in his realm without his learning about it sooner or later.

"Leonardo, son of Splinter, it is a shame we meet again under such grave circumstances." The Domio's deep voice resonated throughout the room.

Leo gave a deep bow. "Yes, my Lord. Your healers have worked long and hard to save the life of my brother. We are very grateful for your assistance." He paused, not really wanting to admit it aloud but he continued anyway. "Raphael would have died otherwise."

"Indeed." He sighed. "However, there is more that you wish to ask of me?"

Leonardo looked away momentarily but then turned back to meet the steel blue eyes of the Domio. "Yes, my other brother, Donatello, he is lost in time."

The Domio didn't say anything right away but he moved forward to look closer at Leonardo. He got the feeling that somehow the powerful creature was looking through him rather than at him.

"Lost in time you say, and how did this happen?"

Memories of the last time they were all shot through time ran through his mind in bright clarity. Also, so did the memory of his failure at calling his family back by using the war staff.

"There was a Staff that was designed by others to manipulate time. We, that is my brothers and I, were trying to keep it out of the wrong hands when everything went wrong." Slowly and methodically Leo explained the events of the past twenty-four hours. Only now was he starting to feel the exhaustion of their exploits. Finally he reached the end of his tale and he looked to the Domio, expectantly.

"I see," was all that he said as he stroked his long, white beard.

"We were hoping that you might be able to find Donatello and call him back with the War Staff." Leo added, hopefully.

"Alas it is not that simple." Leonardo's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. "You see," the Domio started to explain as gently as he could. "The reason the War Staff worked last time was because it helped to send your brothers there in the first place." The Domio stood up and picked up the War Staff and walked down the steps so that he stood beside Leonardo.

"The War Staff and the Time Septor are actually related. They both were created for different things and they both work independently of one another. Yet they are forever intertwined with one another. Their magics mimic each other so that one can always see what the other has done."

As far as Leonardo was concerned the Domio might as well have punched him in the gut. The pain of his words was like a thousand shards of glass cutting him to the bone. If the Domio couldn't help, what else could they do?

"What can I do?" his voice came out small and broken.

A strong hand griped his shoulder and Leo looked up. "Leonardo! Do not give up hope so quickly. I said that it would not be as simple as it was the last time not that it would be impossible."

Leonardo felt his hopes rise once more but nowhere near to the same level that they had been when he had first decided to talk to the Domio.

"Leonardo, son of Splinter, I will look for your brother Donatello. I will let you know the moment I find out anything. Till then, stay with Michelangelo and Raphael - they both need you."

"Thank you." Leo gave another deep bow.

"Do not thank me yet."

Leo nodded once and turned to leave. His walk back to the infirmary was by far less subdued then his walk away from it had been. As quietly as he possibly could he walked into the room where Raph lay, silent and unmoving. Someone had retrieved a chair for Mikey and he now sat with his legs stretched out in front of him. His arms crossed on his chest, his eyes closed. However, Mikey was far from asleep and his eyes popped open as soon as Leo touched the door closing, it behind himself.

"Well?" Such a simple question but it held so much weight.

"He is going to try but there are no guarantees." He quickly repeated everything that the Domio had told him and watched with concern as a dark shadow fell onto Mikey's face.

"That is a load of shit!" Mikey was on his feet quicker than Leo's could follow. Mikey even seemed to be surprised as he stood, momentarily silenced. Then just as suddenly he grabbed the chair he had been sitting on and tossed it with such force that the soft wood chipped the stone floor. He moved forward with a violent swing, there was nothing more for Mikey to throw as everything else in the room was fashioned out of stone. Mikey came to a stop in front of a stone slab similar to the one their brother was currently laid out upon.

"Mikey," Leo started but stopped when Michelangelo let out a scream of pure rage borne of his blind desperation and uncertainty. His arms were out wide at his sides, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. As the inhuman sound subsided slowly Leo could see Mikey's body start to tremble uncontrollably. He approached his little brother carefully. There was a choked sob and then no further sound as he slumped forward, palms landing flat on a marble table with medical supplies.

"Mikey," Leo tried again but got no response. Cautious of any kind of negative reaction Leo placed a hand on his brother's arm. Encouraged when nothing happened he began again. "Look, this isn't the end of anything. There is still hope that everything will turn out alright in the end."

The voice that issued forth from his brother was almost unrecognizable to his ears. "How can you be so sure?"

The question caught him off guard slightly but he took a moment to think about his answer. "Mikey, I am terrified." His brother looked at him suddenly, brows drawn together in disbelief. "Honestly I am. I am afraid Raph won't wake up from this coma, I am scared that Donnie will never come home. I am afraid that Father would be disappointed in me and that I wont be able to hold this family together." He squeezed Mikey's arm and then let go letting his own hand drop down beside him and he sighed. "But I can't let my fear control me. I HAVE to believe that we will come out of this okay. I simply cannot accept anything else."

"Nor can I." Mikey wiped his hands over his face brushing away tears that he would have never admitted were there. Silently he walked over to the chair he had obliterated moments before but there was nothing he could do for it. He let it fall to the floor again and moved back over to Raphael's side pressing his shell against the wall and allowing himself to slide down to the floor. Mikey glanced up, Raphael was still in his line of sight incase there was any change in his condition, he would know.

Leonardo was moving around the room, apparently gaining another chair from one of the aids who most likely came to see what all the noise had been about. Mikey closed his eyes letting his mind drift like he had before. There was the sound of wood moving against stone as Leo sat down himself on their brother's other side.

Silence, like an old familiar friend, embraced the three souls locked together in a room built of cold stone.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles and I am making no money off of this story.

Chapter 7

Leonardo and Karai

The blows were coming down in rapid succession and it took all of Karai's ability to block each one. However, there was no way that she would be able to keep it up for much longer. Leonardo had years of experience that she did not and it showed.

The clouds in the sky billowed about and away from the moon. Allowing its passing light to illuminate the blade of Leonardo's katana as it swung forth. Karai caught the move before it was able to leave a fatal wound upon her chest. Still no matter how hard she tried, blocking was about all that she could do. He was simply moving too fast for her to counter with an attack of her own.

This was a dance that they had done a million times before. They fought, but no matter how much she claimed she would show no mercy, she was never able to deliver that final blow. There was something that was in Leonardo that she couldn't bring herself to destroy. It was a light that seemed to emanate from within, a light that she herself wanted but could never seem to obtain. It was his honesty, his loyalty and his insatiable need to see an overwhelming goodness in her. A goodness that she felt had died with the man she had called her Father. Perhaps it would be fitting that Leonardo would be the one to finally end her life.

Karai saw the blade descend once more towards her face and she brought her own sword up to counter it but she knew that it would be of little use. Something gave way in her hand when metal met metal. Leonardo's attack simply had too much force behind it and she was still suffering from wounds she had incurred earlier that day.

The katana slipped from her grip hitting the tar of the roof with a dull clang. Instantly she switched to the only other weapon that she had and that was her hands. At the sound of the lost sword hitting the ground Leo instantly put away his own katana switching to his own hands in some twisted sense of making it an even fight between them.

She moved forward as fast as she could while he put away his blade, trying to catch him off guard before he was able to launch another attack at her. If only she could get past him perhaps she could escape him. Not that she was one to run from any fight but she also knew when she was beaten. Karai wrapped her hand around his wrist and forearm, placing her weight low to the ground in an attempt to pull Leonardo off his feet. However, the move backfired on her. He had flipped over the top of her head, changing his grip around the back of her arm and threw her into the brick chimney without releasing her. She both felt and heard a snap as overstressed bone snapped under the strain. Karai could not muffle her cry of pain that erupted from her lips.

There was no time to nurse her arm as Leonardo turned her about to face him. One hand slammed into Karai's chest, knocking the breath out of her lungs and preventing her from moving. The weight of his hand felt like a crushing vice and she instinctively grabbed at his arm trying to release the pressure that was threatening to destroy her. Through the haze of her sudden panic she heard the scrape of metal coming forth from its sheath but her mind did not distinguish what it meant. That is until she felt cold steel biting at the tender flesh of her throat. Warm blood trickled down to her worn and sweaty clothes.

Karai didn't let go of the arm that was immobilizing her but she looked desperately into Leonardo's eyes. Though he could not see her gaze she hoped that he would be able to feel its weight. Many times before she had felt his presence and she knew that he had done the same. There was an invisible thread that held them together. From the moment they had first met they had felt it. With all of her might she reached out to him.

"Leonardo, don't do this. Please."

The pressure on her chest subsided slightly but the blade did not drop. He tilted his head slightly as if he were studying her in a new light. That was when she felt it, his presence as a part of her, invading her mind. It was a tentative presence that reached about her mind like wiry tendrils. It was a gentle touch, which was at complete odds to his physical presence. Searching, questioning, gathering from her what scattered images he could, trying to piece together just what it was that he was missing. She could read the look of confusion that crossed his features.

"Who are you?" It was more a rhetorical question and she didn't answer right away. The katana moved away from her and was placed back into its sheath. However, she was no fool. The thing would be back in Leonardo's hand before she would be able to move if he so chose.

He brought his hand back to her face and she cringed, trying to push herself further against the brick behind her but his hand was gentle. Calloused fingers brushed across her features and she realized that he was trying to look at her with his hands.

Again he posed the question. "Who are you?" but this time it was with more force. He obviously wanted an answer.

"I am Karai." She croaked out through her bruised throat.

"You are too young, but you are her." His lips rose up but it was far from a smile, it was a dark sneer. "Explain yourself."

It was a clear command. So she told him everything that had happened. At least since she had been in this insane world but she left out the part about Donatello. As she spoke she noticed the hand release slowly until it was simply a light presence instead of the immovable force. Her own hands had yet to move and she felt the adrenaline that had been fueling her before, seep away. As the pain and weariness closed in on her she realized that Leonardo's hand was the only thing that was still holding her upright: his hand and the wall behind her.

"You are not telling me everything," was his only comment. She made to protest but he cut her off. "You are many things Karai but you do not hide the truth well. I do not care where you come from. I can always tell when you leave stuff out."

"What do you think I am leaving out?" The pain in her arm was getting harder to ignore and she gritted her teeth against it.

He was silent as he studied her again. Once more she had the distinct feeling that he was seeing her but she was positive that he was blind.

"Time is a tricky thing and something that should never be messed with on purpose. You are Karai, but not the Karai who is guilty of more crimes then I have time to mention."

Leonardo finally stepped away from her and the lack of his presence holding her up caused her weakened body to crumble at his feet. The force of her body hitting the ground jarred the bones in her arms and she let out an involuntary scream of agony. Blackness encroached on her sight but she fought it and won, but just barley. Karai looked back up to Leo who gazed down at her impassively almost coldly. Again she was struck by the obvious differences between her Leonardo and this older one. Her Leo would have tried to help her, his passion for life and blind hope for her would have emanated from him. It would have infected her even if she tried to pretend that it did not. However, this Leo had lost all of that zeal for life and in its place was a chilly resemblance of something that he once had been. A deep and penetrating chill ran down the length of her spine and another thought hit her: when did Leo become hers to claim? She shook her head to clear it and she almost passed out again.

"No matter how much I want to bury you," at this his fists clinched at his sides. "It would not be right. You are innocent even if I know what you are capable of."

"What do you mean?" Fear was creping over her like an ill-fitting glove as she watched him pick up his second katana. It was not fear of him so much as a fear of what she had supposedly done.

"Take a good look around you." He said as he gestured about him, turning his body with the motion. He stopped facing her once more dropping his hands like dead weights to his sides. There was a faint light behind him that gave off a dim glow but it illuminated him in such a way that it made Karai want to shrink away. Her pride would not allow her to do so. She placed a steadying hand on the brick behind her and she slowly brought herself to her own feet. It took her a moment to center herself, to tap into her reserves, and stand unaided. When she looked back to Leonardo he gave her a small approving smile and again she had the feeling that he was able to see her.

"Are you blind?" the question was out before she could stop herself.

His face darkened some and his brows knitted together. She knew the question angered him but he was trying to control it. "You really are not her…" he mumbled under his breath, dipping his chin to his chest. A deep sigh passed through his slightly parted lips before a deep sorrow descended onto his shoulders. Again he looked at her but this time the dark edge was missing. More of the Leo she knew was emerging.

"Yes I am blind, however, that does not mean that I do not know what is going on around me." Subconsciously Karai brought her good hand up to her now broken arm. No, he was still as lethal as he always had the potential to be. Both stood in an almost companionable silence.

For the first time she looked at him, really looked at him. He stood taller, closer to the six-foot mark and he had filled out more. Absently she wondered if her Leo was as tall. She fought him many times but she had long ago stopped looking at him. If she did she was afraid she would give in. Allow him to save her, so she stopped noticing anything about him. But here, alone with him on a roof in a world that was not her own, it didn't matter did it?

Scars riddled his face, some looked as if they should have ended his life but yet here he stood. Carefully, she stepped towards him reaching out and touching the longest one that started from above his eye ridge and fell back to the base of his skull. He stiffened but did not move away, allowing her touch.

A thought crossed her mind and she wasn't too sure she liked the idea. "Did I cause this?"

"Yes." That cold, simple word caused her to snatch her hand back. He just turned his head in her direction as if sizing her up. "Tell me Karai, in your world, does your Father still hold that chain about your neck?"

"Chain?" she instantly resented the word but chose to let it go. She turned away from Leonardo and stepped to the roofs edge, gazing out on the city she had once known. "No, my Father was captured and exiled in my world." She glanced over at the shadow behind her. Understanding crossed Leonardo's features. "You saw to that." She meant for her words to sting, but they lost their bite before they left her lips. Looking around her, how could she defend her Father with a clear conscience? Shame filled her soul.

A large hand fell onto her shoulder but it did not cause her any pain and she looked up to Leonardo and saw herself reflected in the blackness of his goggles. "Not so easy anymore is it?"

Karai looked away not able to face him. How was it that he could read her so well? Aloud, she asked another question entirely. "What happened here?"

The hand left her shoulder as Leonardo moved to stand beside her, seeming to gaze out upon the devastation with her. "It started the day your Father was leaving this planet. You came to me to plead his case and I…" there was a heavy pause and Leo dropped his unseeing gaze and his voice became weighted with the problems of the world he now lived in. "I allowed him to leave." He turned to Karai again. "I allowed him to leave; my brothers and I did nothing to stop him. We were young and naïve. We all thought that he would just go and never come back. Yet we were wrong, all of us, including you."

A past conversation came to mind: Leo was trying to plead to her. Telling her that the Shredder could not be allowed to leave, that he would only bring death and destruction where ever he went, but she did not want to believe him. Yet, deep inside of her, a part of her that she would never acknowledge told her that he spoke the truth. And now her very own eyes bore witness to the horrors her Father really was capable of.

"Things were just fine for about ten years." Leo continued. "The Homato clan and the Foot clan stopped fighting. The over all protection of this city was our mutual goal. You and I were friends, sometimes more but as with most good things in my life, nothing lasts." Leonardo offered a hand to her, "Come, I want to show you something." It wasn't really a request but that mattered very little to her and she placed her good hand in his.

Karai let him lead her through the city. The buildings around her looking somewhat familiar as they moved. Multiple times Leonardo had kept her from falling; she kept her useless arm close to her chest in an attempt to still the pain. Exhaustion was closing in on her and her pace was slowing. She was amazed that even blind Leonardo was able to negotiate the city with so much ease.

"Just a little further," he shot over his shoulder as he started down a fire escape.

Karai followed him silently down and into the alley bellow. He glanced back her way and gestured for her to stay behind him. The fact that they were in a never-ending war zone was not lost on the Foot ninja and she made no sound as her feet touched the filth-covered ground. Silently, they moved in the shadows approaching the main road. There was no one about so they crossed the road with caution.

They were in an older part of town. The buildings were smaller and the streets more broken. Distantly, she wondered if anyone even lived in the old apartment buildings. She gazed back at them but there were no lights that she could see. All around her she could see the remnants of what once was and the dark encroaching horror of what was currently. For a fleeting moment she saw, through different eyes, another time - a time when the sun shone through faint clouds to illuminate a street full of cars and of people. Try as she might, she could not hold onto that image, the reality of what she was looking at was far too strong to overlook. Someone cleared their throat behind her and she was instantly snapped back into the present.

Leonardo stood, concealed mostly in shadows, waiting for her. He looked about ready to scold her. She moved to his side, he was right; to stand out in the open was suicide in this world.

In silence they continued down the road following along an old brick wall that was perhaps eight feet in height. They reached its inevitable end, two twisted iron gates stood, rusting on their hinges. Leonardo slipped between the bars that had bent enough for them to pass years before.

Karai maneuvered herself through, mindful of her arm, and then froze. They were in a graveyard. Broken statues of crying angels lay scattered on the graves they were meant to protect. Weeds had long since grown over the smaller headstones of relatives long since forgotten. Even the dead had no peace in this nightmarish world.

Leonardo now walked with a clear purpose down a small path the he obviously knew well. She idly wondered if the trail only existed because he had walked it so many times before. He stopped and waited for her to catch up again. Really she hadn't realized that she had slowed down. Her mind was reeling, who could possibly be in this neglected graveyard that he would want to show her?

"It is just over this way." Leo said in a soft, sad voice as he turned, continuing down between a row of headstones. She could see where he was taking her before she reached his side. It was the only grave that had been tended to. White roses were laid on the top of a roughly cut head stone.

Leonardo knelt down placing a calloused hand to the etched markings on the front of the headstone. "I couldn't leave her, so I brought her here." His voice was no more then a whisper and she knelt beside him in order to hear. She read the name under Leo's fingers, Kimiko; there was nothing else. "She was five years old when that monster came back."

"Leonardo," she said, just as softly, placing her hand on his arm but he pulled away from her.

"We had gone back to Japan. All of us: you, my brothers, Master Splinter and myself. It was going to be a little vacation for all of us. One day, when I was wondering the streets by myself I came upon this small child. Perhaps a year old at best but her parents had no means to take care of her." He let out a small laugh but there was no amusement in his voice when he spoke again. "Ironically similar to your own story, except I was not a monster disguised as a man. Unlike your Father," and there was obvious disgust in his voice. "I have never pretended to be anything other than what I am."

"So I took the child with me, you were taken by her and decided to adopt the child. Obviously I couldn't do so or I would have. Many times I have wondered in retrospect if it would have been kinder to have left the child." He shook his head to clear it, obviously fighting with his own demons, before he continued. "She was more mine then ever yours. Kimiko spent almost all of her time with us in the lair. Everything was going fine, good even for all of those years." He turned to her again and she felt the weight of his stare. "Then he came back, but this time we didn't stand a chance against him. He brought with him the Utrons and all of their power and technology. Earth fell within a day to the Shredder. There was nothing left and you," his hand clenched and she felt the fury in him bubbling forth. "You went back to him! You turned us in! He tore everything apart and you helped him."

Leonardo stood suddenly and stepped away from Karai but then stopped. He was wounded deeply in his soul and he was lost. Leo had to remind himself that this Karai was not his enemy, she did not deserve to be cut down, but the darker part of him simply didn't care.

"The Shredder came in forces far too great to stop. So much blood, Splinter, he…" the desperate feeling of being a failure washed over him. No matter how many times he played the scene over and over in his head he did not see any other way for the scenario to end. "Splinter stood his ground so that we could escape. Don left shortly after that, but I still didn't give up hope. Kimiko was with you and you had left me a message to come and get her. You were afraid of what your Father would do to her." He turned around again looking in the general direction of the grave. "I came but he was waiting. The creature demanded that you leave the girl with him and that you swear your loyalty to him. You did, then you turned and walked away from us. One look back, that was all that you gave either of us before you simply left."

Silence fell and Karai felt she should say something but her mind was a complete blank. What could she possibly say? That she would have never left them? That she would have tried to help them escape? That she wouldn't have gone back to her Father? The truth was by far the scariest thing she had ever faced. She knew it and so did he. Karai would have most likely have done the same things. She rallied against it but she was losing. If her Father came back where would her loyalties lie?

Uncaring of her dilemma Leo continued. "He took her life first." At that Karai's head shot up in disbelief. "Claimed it to be a mercy killing, she wasn't meant to survive."

"My Father wouldn't…" but Leo cut her off before she could finish.

"He would and he has!! You ignorant little girl. He killed her because he had no use for her. Then just for the hell of it he poured acid into my eyes! That monster wanted to burn the image of her death into my very being!" With that he tore the black goggles from his face and allowed her to see the sunken holes where his soft brown eyes had once been. "Deny it all you want Karai, but this is the person you turn into and this is the man you call your Father. I took her body here and buried her myself."

She could feel tears stinging her eyes. Never did she want to be responsible for so much death. Her hatred at Leonardo for stopping her Father's escape seemed lost somewhere in the torrent of her own thoughts. This is the world, as she would have had it if Leo had listened to her. This was all her fault.

The air was getting thicker about her and it was getting harder for her to breathe. Panic was descending upon her unwillingly. She looked up to Leonardo for help but he only gazed back at her with those unseeing black pits.

Leo suddenly broke her gaze and was listening to the sounds about him. "Get yourself together Karai. Someone is coming." He barked at her and then moved into the shadows.

She didn't move right away, what did it matter if someone was coming? A hand shot out and pulled her to her feet. "This way," was all Leo said as he started to pull her along with him.

Foot ninja entered the cemetery fanning out to search the grounds. Someone must have seen or heard them and reported it. Leo led them to the back gate, scaling it with ease. He stopped at the top and offered a hand to Karai and she reached for it. Their hands grasped one another but she lost her footing and she slipped hitting the ground hard. Lose bones scraped together under her skin and she screamed.

Stupid! She opened her eyes not realizing that she had closed them. Leonardo was gone but in his place were perhaps a dozen or so ninjas. Several blades were pointed at her so she did not move.

"Mistress Karai?"

A/N: Alright, I hope everyone enjoyed this addition. I was trying to make Karai somewhat likable but without changing her character too much. I hope it worked. Please let me know what you thought. Anyway, I also wanted to say a big thanks to everyone who has left a review and also thanks to my best friend Polly, because if it wasn't for her I would have never posted this! Thanks!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles and I am not making any money off of this story.

A/N: Sorry, I know I said that I was going to do Raph's part next but it really was Donnie's turn. Raph's part will be next. Promise!

Chapter 8

Donatello's Dilemma

The groggy haze was slowly lifting from Donatello. There was noise about him and someone was talking but he really couldn't make it out. To him it just sounded like one continuous groan. Carefully he opened his eyes, trying not to alert who ever was with him that he was conscious just yet. The room was dark but he could just make out a few shapes. Some kind of equipment was scattered about but he still couldn't quite see enough detail.

He could hear shuffling foot steeps coming towards him again so he closed his eyes once more, feigning unconsciousness. The voice was closer now and very clear. It made Donatello's blood freeze. He knew that voice; he still heard it in his darkest nightmares. With as much subtlety as he could muster Donatello tried to lift his arms from the surface he was laid prone on but he met resistance. It took all of his will not to panic at that moment.

"I know you're awake Donatello." He wanted to ignore him, but it wouldn't get him anywhere and he knew it. There was a deep, scratchy laugh right by his ear. "It doesn't really matter. If you want to pretend that you are still unconscious go right ahead. You will still cut just the same."

"Bishop, please don't do this!" There was an edge of panic in his voice that he simply couldn't hide but at least he didn't start to tremble. The man was at his head just out of Donnie's line of sight. He craned his neck but still could not see him. Donatello didn't know why but it was suddenly very important for him to see his tormentor.

"Donatello, you know better than to beg for mercy from me." Now Bishop did step forward into what little light the room offered.

Bishop was dying. Donatello recognized the radiation burns that covered his exposed flesh. Painful welts and blisters marred his once perfect skin, where once his complexion was a pale white it was now a screaming red.

"What happened to you?" Why Donatello asked he wasn't really sure. It wasn't because he was concerned about the man, just honest curiosity.

The wounded man looked down at himself, as if just really noticing that he was different, before he looked back to his latest experiment. He debated not answering the turtle but then decided that it was no consequence for the terrapin to know what he was going to die for so he told him.

"I suppose I could tell you. As you can see aliens have come to this world. We put up a good fight but obviously we lost. That monster Shredder thought he could destroy me, he dropped a bomb on me and my force." He gave a nonchalant shrug. "They were all killed but I was able to live. My genetic engineering allowed me to survive but it still isn't enough. Sense that day my body has been slowly falling apart. However, I have you yet again!" At this the corners of Bishop's mouth twitched up. "Perhaps this time I will succeed. I need more genetic material to finish my new clone body."

Bishop started to shuffle about the room again, turning on a few more lights as he went along. Donnie was finally getting a good look at his surroundings. Donatello's ninja training kicking in as he searched for any weak spots and exits, his mind cataloging and filling away everything that he saw. All of his tools were missing, knee and elbow pads as well as the Staff. He looked about as much as he could but was relieved to see afore mentioned items laid on another table not far from him. He doubted Bishop had any idea what the Staff was capable of. Thinking it no different from the Staff Donnie always carried with him as a weapon. There was the distinct impression that they were fairly deep underground in what might have been an old bomb shelter or a cellar. No windows anywhere to be seen and only one door which looked heavy and rusted.

An old computer sat up against one far wall that was giving off random readings. It was old, perhaps from the sixties, Donatello was mildly surprised that Bishop had been able to get the thing to work. Above the computer was what looked like it could be an oversized fish tank but what was in it was far from anything aquatic. The floating mass vaguely resembled a human form. Donatello could see what might have been the beginning stubs of arms jetting out of the things sides. Bent crippled sticks descending down out of the bodies lower pelvic reign could have been counted as some sort of leg. The head, if that is what it really was, was the shape of a foot ball that had seen better days. There was no nose, only a gaping hole where it should have been. The eyes were dark and misshapen, almost nonexistent.

Donatello averted his gaze, if this was what Bishop wanted to transfer his consciousness into, he doubted there was any real hope for the human. Indeed, Donatello started to pay closer attention to the man. His movements were stiff and erratic. Bishop continued to mutter to himself and he would look up at Donnie every now and again as if he was surprised to see him there.

All that pain, all that loss might have stolen more then Bishop's lab and experiments. It was becoming more and more apparent to Donnie that Bishop had also lost his sanity somewhere along the way as well. He had to get out of there. The man was always a bit unstable before with little care of his or his brother's lives but now that he was insane to boot? Donatello felt an even stronger fear for his own life.

The drug Bishop had used to capture him was out of his system and he was now fully awake. He allowed his body to relax, to let go all of the tension despite his current situation. A deep calmness washed over every muscle and with it a renewed energy. With clear sharp focus he pushed against the restraints and felt the leather give slightly. Hope filled him as he relaxed his muscles again. Everything about the place he was in was old and dilapidated; he stood a real chance of escaping! He just needed to free himself before Bishop started to pay attention to him again. Again, with all of his strength he tried the old leather; it stretched but did not break.

"Now," Bishop announced staggering back to Donatello's side. "Let us see what you can do for me."

There was no time left as the man approached him with a scalpel in hand. The tool itself also looked like it had been scavenged out of an old medical dumpster. With as much strength as he could muster, which was quite a lot, he pulled but once again the bonds did not break.

"Now, now, there is no need for you to try and escape the inevitable. Don't worry, this will hurt."

"Bishop, please don't do this." Donatello wasn't begging, he could never bring himself to do that. He was trying to appeal to what little bit of Bishop that was human to not bring harm to another living, feeling creature. Yet, Donnie knew his voice fell onto def ears.

He refused to look away as the blade came down upon the thick skin on his arm. It was dull and Bishop had to put his weight down on the thing to get it to make the first incision. Pain radiated through Donnie but it was no worse than he had felt before and he tuned most of it out. Years of fighting and numerous wounds had taught him well; how to feel beyond his own pain.

There was a wet slap next to his ear, like a large peace of raw meat being put on a dinner plate. Donatello didn't need to look to know that he was now missing a large chunk from his arm. He hoped it would appease Bishop for now. Blood flowed freely from the new opening; he could hear it running off the table onto the floor like a court yard water fountain.

Muttering and shuffling were the sounds Donatello was trying to focus on, anything but his arm. However, it wasn't any more comforting as it was clear Bishop was far from done with him. Something heavy and made of metal was being picked up. Donatello continued to stare at the ceiling, pulling at the leather that bound him to the table. Despite his earlier hope, he felt doomed. The bounds were not letting up no matter how he pulled; he simply didn't have enough leverage.

"I can't seem to get the electric one to work so I will just have to use this one." Donatello glanced over to see Bishop holding a saw. It was a simple one like one would expect to find in most garages. The man laid the thing on Don's chest, teeth down. At the first drag of the blade Donatello didn't feel pain, but on the second it started. It didn't stop, the grating sound reverberating off the stone walls. A new pain, one that he had never felt before was upon him. He wasn't sure when he had started to scream, he was only aware that his voice had gone hoarse.

Blessed blackness began to creep at the edge of his vision. It was a blackness that Donatello welcomed with open arms as it embraced him. He felt as if he were at some great cliff holding on to the edge. He felt his grip slipping but he really didn't care anymore. He welcomed the peace the dark offered and so he willingly let himself fall.

Hours, days, minutes, Donatello really had no concept of time anymore as he felt reality start to come back to him. The first thing he was aware of was the considerable amount of pain in each of his limbs and chest. Past events came back to him in a rush and he sat up. A bit too fast as his head was still spinning. That is when he became aware of the fact he was no longer bound. Bringing a hand to his face he tried to wipe away his blurred vision. It did help some.

He started to mentally check himself over. His arms were stiff and sore; Bishop had made some sort of an attempt to bandage the crater he left on the sorer of his two arms. Donatello really wondered as to why, perhaps regret? He shook his head; it was probably to stop him from bleeding out. Donatello tried to take in a deep breath but stopped when he felt a sharp pain. Bringing up a hand to his chest he grimaced as the burning sensation shot through his whole body. Gently pulling his hand away and looked down at the wet oozing mess. A section of his plastron had been sawed away leaving another gaping wound on his chest. It was also bleeding but it had obviously already clotted some, as long as he was careful it wouldn't tare.

All in all, he was in pain but his injuries could have been a lot worse. Perhaps Bishop decided to take a break? Again he doubted that, more like the man was trying to fix his misshapen clone before he was out of time himself. Still, it didn't change anything; at least he wasn't strapped down now. He was free to move about and to escape.

Donatello let his gaze fall across the room. Like everything else, the lighting was dim but doable. He was in some sort of cell, stone floors and walls with iron bars that looked worn and rusty. It seemed a good possibility that he was in some underground prison instead of a shelter like he had thought before. A toilet that should have been the star of its own horror flick sat against the far wall with the broken remnants of a sink beside it. The part of his mind that would catalog useless bits of information told him that it didn't seem likely that the plumbing would be working.

There was another shape not far away from the old bathroom fixtures. It was covered by some old tattered blanket that was either brown by color or had simply become brown by picking up the dirt from around it. Idly he wondered if he wasn't alone in this nightmare. He didn't say anything allowed but slowly got to his feet and walked in its general direction. Donatello really couldn't explain what he was feeling, but there was an overpowering sense of dread that was incasing him as he got closer.

Quietly he knelt down and reached out his hand coming down on the top of the blanket. There was something very hard underneath and Donatello knew that if it had been alive at one time, that time had long ago passed. He pulled the blanket away and froze at what he saw.

Before him was a large, overgrown shell of a turtle. Instantly his mind went back to his brothers, but it couldn't have been one of them! They had died but it was when they faced down the Shredder one last time. Instantly he knew who it had to be, the only turtle who was missing in this insane world. Donatello knelt a little closer to where the skull laid and there he saw it. Old fabric, limp and lifeless, its color faded to only a scant resemblance to what it had once been but there it was. Donatello picked up the purple bandana and held it up to the light as if that would some how show him that he was wrong. Yet, already his mind had passed over all of the logical scenarios and he knew now that the Donatello of this time had never left his brothers. At least not in the way they thought he had.

It was clear to him now as the story they had given him had seemed so false. He would have never left his brothers without saying anything to them! They probably had been so wrapped up in their own lives that they had simply assumed he left when, in fact, he had been captured.

He looked back to the brittle bones that were close to dust. Many of the bones had been broken and there was some evidence that they had attempted to heal. The dark truth set churning in his stomach. This Donatello had been tortured until he had finally died, all without his family ever knowing.

Suddenly Donnie couldn't breath and his stomach was complaining. With speed he didn't think his injured body quite capable of he was on his feet and backing away. Images ran through his mind at a whirlwind pace. Him being experimented on, continual pain, no hope of escape, knowing that he was going to die…

"No!" he shouted out loud trying to stop the barrage of images. His stomach would not settle so he bent over the broken sink. Donnie's body was trying as hard as it could to empty the contents of his stomach which was difficult as it had been so long sense he had eaten anything. So he dry heaved instead.

He had been there for a while before he was able to get control of himself again. Laying his head against the cool stone he thought back to Bishop. He knew now what he meant about having him again and it had nothing to do with the time he and his brothers were under his mercy. The erg to heave again was upon him but he pushed it back. Slowly he pushed himself away from the wall with a new resolve. There would be no way that he would die here and he knew that his family would never forget about him. They still had hope for each other.

There was noise in the corner opposite to him and he prepared himself for a fight. Wounds or not, he would take Bishop down before he could do him in again. However, Bishop is not what he saw. Another form laid prone on the ground, shivering slightly. This one was large and only its silence from before was why Donnie had missed it. There was something very familiar about it and he moved forward silently, dropping the faded purple mask to the dank floor.

The figure turned to face him and there was no mistaking Leather Heads long face. Donnie felt warmth grow inside of him at seeing a familiar face but it was quickly extinguished as he took in the emaciated form.

"Donatello?" the voice was weak and raspy. "I must be dreaming again."

"No, my friend, you are not." Donatello placed a gentle hand on the alligators shoulder. Most of his body was cover in sores and open wounds that hadn't healed properly. Many of them looked to be infected and gangrenous. "What has happened to you my friend?" Donatello gasped softly. He didn't really want an answer as the question was more rhetorical than anything. He knew what had happened and Bishop was the one to blame.

"How is it that you are here? You are dead…" his eyes were going in and out of focus and he really wasn't sure if he wasn't being delusional again. It would be nothing new if he was, the drugs Bishop constantly pumped into him kept him in a dream like state. However, he was sure Bishop had either forgotten about him or thought he was dead because he hadn't seen the man in over a month now.

"Leather Head, I am really here." Donatello griped his shoulder a bit harder so that he would feel his touch through his thick hide. The eyes began to focus and then well up with tears that didn't fall. Donatello proceeded to tell Leather Head his and Karai's story and how they had to get back to their own time. He knew that he shouldn't, but he also told him that the world he lived in would have a new hope as well because the Shredder would die. Leather Head looked at him skeptically but didn't argue. As he spoke he helped his giant friend into a sitting position, bracing him against the wall.

"So in your time none of this has happened?"

"No, my brothers are still together and you still live about two miles from us in the sewers."

Leather Head's eyes grew misty as he looked over Donnie's head towards the iron door and lock. "Then we have to get you back to that time." He said with harsh finality.

Nether of them missed the sound of a key turning in a lock and they looked to see Bishop. The man looked up and about when he didn't see Donnie where he had left him but then his eyes widen when he seen the eight foot alligator on its feet.

"I thought you were dead!" He sounded more annoyed then anything else and he fumbled about for the dart gun that hung at his side.

A roar that reverberated off the walls was issued forth from Leather Head. The alligator moved forward in such a rush the Don had little time to react, only step out of his friend's way. He watched, numbly as Leather Head picked up the man and pulled at limbs. Donatello closed his eyes but he still knew what was happening. There was screaming which drowned out most everything else but still he could hear popping and tearing. Then all sound stopped. The screaming and snarling had matched each other in their life and death struggle but the ending was inevitable.

Without looking down Donatello opened his eyes, he was not a coward but he hated death, even the death of someone who would, and had already killed him. Yet, he wasn't about to stop Leather Head. They both deserved their freedom. He locked eyes with a very weak looking Leather Head.

"Come on my friend," Leather Head said softly as if even talking took more energy then he had.

Donatello didn't question and moved out of the cell, stepping over the pieces that had once been Bishop. He got to the end of the hall that led into the lab he had been held in before and waited for Leather Head to catch up. The old alligator struggled to stay standing as he slowly made his way to Donnie's side, sheer will alone keeping him on his feet. Without a word Don moved quickly into the adjoining room, collected his belongings and putting the Staff safely back into his belt before he moved back to Leather Head. He grabbed him about the waist trying to assist him out. The sight would have been comical to anyone who didn't know what the two had been through; Donatello's slight figure trying to support an eight foot alligator three times his own size.

Step by step they moved out of the underground lab and towards what Donnie hoped was an exit towards the surface. The going was slow but at last they had made it. Leather Head propped himself up against a wall as Don opened the door. Sweet cool air embraced them both.

Night had fallen and the moon shown brightly above them. Leather Head moved out of the darkness of the underground and into the welcoming light. He held out his arms and a smile graced his lips and then he began to fall. Donatello seen this and moved to help but there really wasn't much he could do as the twelve hundred pounds that was Leather Head descended.

"Leather Head!"

There was slight movement as he tried to roll over onto his back, in the end Donatello had to help him.

"Thank you my friend." There was a great sigh and then his breathing became shallower.

"Leather Head, come on. You can't stay here. It isn't safe."

Great brown eyes turned to Donnie and he knew that Leather Head had gone as far as he was going to go. He was dead when Donnie had found him in that cell. For some reason that he didn't know and probably never would know, Leather Head had held onto life just long enough to set them both free.

"I…" Leather Head struggled a bit to catch his breath before he continued. "I want to thank you." Again that sad smile crossed his features. "You set me free."

"Thanks to you to, friend," Don didn't say any more. There wasn't any more for him to say. Tears stung his eyes and there was a burning at the back of his throat but he ignored it. Leather Head was gone. His eyes glassed over with death but he looked happy still. No more pain, just freedom.

Donatello gently closed the eyes of his dear friend, turning to gaze at the blanket of starts above them. "Safe journey, may you find peace." It hurt to say those words but he knew his Leather Head was at home, alive and safe. However, that knowledge did little to settle the pain in his hart.

Donatello stood. His next mission clear, he had the Staff and he was now free. He had to find Karai and get out of this place. Leonardo was by far the best tracker but Don wasn't all that bad himself. He would head back in the direction of the building where he had originally lost sight of her and go from there. Donatello started off at a jog, ignoring the pain in his chest and arm; he needed to get them both home and fast before anything else happened.

A/N: Hope this part was okay, I was struggling with a few bits here and there. Mostly I wanted to write about Donnie waking up in a room with his own remains, how would one deal with such a horror? Thankfully it is something that only happens in our deepest, darkest nightmares…


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: The turtles are not mine and I am making no money off of this story.

Chapter 9

Raphael's Choice

It was a room, or that is what he had decided it was. Everything about him was in various shades of gray. Nothing had a clear distinction to it. Outlines of walls would appear, but only out of the corner of his eye. As soon as he would turn to look it was gone again.

The only real distinction in the room was two doors. Natural curiosity got the better of him and he moved towards them. He reached out to the first door on his left, wrapping his fingers around the metal of the door handle only to pull back suddenly with a hiss of pain. It was hot! Raphael turned his hand over to look at his palm. Welts began to rise from the subsequent burn but then faded almost as quickly as they had appeared.

He eyed the door with a new weariness and moved away from it as if it would somehow come after him. When he reached out to the door on his right he was far more hesitant about grabbing the round knob. With the tip of his finger he tapped it but there was nothing. No pain, no heat, just the cool metal of a normal door. He grasped it and started to turn and pull, but a voice behind him caused all motion to stop.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice was soft and gentle and Raph instantly let go of the door he had been about to open to look behind him.

A young girl stood there in a shapeless dress that hung loosely off her shoulders. The dress itself was a soft blue, so soft that it was almost as white as the room. Dark hair hung down to the middle of her back. She struck Raph as being oddly out of place, although why he really didn't know. There was something familiar about her.

He took a step closer to her and looked more closely at her features. "Alex?" he asked her softly.

The girl just smiled and moved to a bench that he hadn't noticed before and sat down. She gestured to the open seat beside her and Raph joined her. He knew why he didn't recognize her from before; there were no scars on her face. In fact he couldn't see any scars on her anywhere. Raphael's mind was trying to desperately put all the peaces together. What was this place, why was she here, and why did he have such a strong feeling that he had to get back? Back to what he really wasn't sure. It was there at the edge of his consciousness, teasing him. He tried to concentrate but he was only giving himself a headache so he stopped.

"Where are we?" he asked rubbing his eyes in an attempt to stop the ache growing behind them. There were so many more questions but he didn't want to overload the girl.

"We are here."

Okay, so that was so not helpful. "Not exactly the answer I was looking for kid."

"Well, I don't know how else to describe it. This isn't really anywhere in specific, kind of like a place in between." She looked at him sadly. "This is where a lot of people come to make a choice."

His brow ridges came together in thought. "To make a choice?" he echoed her, but it was starting to become clear now.

"There was a fight," he looked over at her as if she would be able to confirm his memory. She only stared at him blankly but he was far from discouraged. A memory flashed in his mind of Don fighting off Karai. "That's it! Don, I was going over to help him when that damn Foot ninja attacked from my back!" The memory of a deep pain in his side came back to him with harsh clarity. He looked down where he knew the wound would have to be but there was nothing.

"Am I dead?" he wasn't sure why but that thought didn't panic him like he thought it should have.

Alex just smiled and shook her head in a negative way. "No, not yet anyway," she turned her gaze to the two doors he had been standing at before.

"That is what you meant by I have to chose." It wasn't a question but she nodded her head anyway.

They sat quietly for a few moments. Time really didn't seem to have any meaning where they were. Raphael looked back at Alex again.

"Are you here to make the same choice?"

"No, I come here just because." Raph gave her a skeptical look so she explained a little further. "He liked to hurt me a lot and I learned how to disassociate myself. I learned how to come here. In this place there is no real pain, just the memory of pain."

"Hmm," was all he could think to say. "I should really get back to my family."

"You should."

"Then why is it I'm not moving?"

"I don't know." Alex shrugged her shoulders. "Only you can answer that question."

Nothing here seemed real to him. He knew certain things, like he needed to get back to his brothers; he needed to find out if Donnie was okay. However, there was a deep void inside of him. It was as if he was divided into two clear halves. The one half was ready to jump to his brother's side. The other half was simply tired. It was as if every ounce of energy in him had run to its logical conclusion and was now burnt out. Leaving behind the faint impression of who he once was.

It sickened him; it made him feel weak and broken. Yet, like with everything else in this place, even those emotions were pale and distant. Frustrated he laid his head in his hands unable to clearly explain what it was he was feeling.

"Don't be so hard on yourself Raphael." A small hand reached out to gently grasp him on his wrist and he turned to look at her.

"Kid, how on earth do you know what I am thinking?" he said, vaguely annoyed with her seeming ability to read him.

"I just do. You want to bear the weight of everyone's problems on your own shoulders but you can't. You want to protect everyone you meet, but it's not always going to work out that way. You can't save everyone. If you keep trying you're just going to break." She got up from their bench and started to move about the room, gently dancing to music only she could hear and distantly he wondered if he hadn't already broke.

Something about what she said struck a deep cord in him. Splinter had told him the same thing many times while growing up and he never quite understood. He still didn't. Did it mean that it was okay to let himself go and not worry about his brothers? But he couldn't do that, they were too important to him, even Leo as much as he hated to admit it. He couldn't imagine life without them around. Sure he thought about taking off and exploring the world, but there was never a moment that he didn't know for a fact that he would come back.

Life at home had just become difficult. He never realized just how much he relied on his Father to be there for him, and now with him gone he felt lost. His home was empty, devoid of the warmth it used to radiate. Each day it would be just that little bit harder to come home, to not just keep going and see where he would end up.

Why did he want to leave? He had thought about it many times but still wasn't overly sure himself. It went back to the feeling of being lost, as if he could find himself just beyond the horizon, the person he was meant to be.

He had watched each of his brothers develop, change ever so slightly and then adapt to the loss of their Father. Yet he hadn't found that balance yet. He was still angry and short fused like a ticking bomb just waiting to go off. Raphael knew that he pushed the envelop far too many times. He was dangerous and was getting closer to loosing the tie that held him back, the knot was slipping and he knew it. Killing was becoming too easy for him and that scared him more than anything else.

He idly watched the girl move about. Her movements oddly soothing as he wished he could easily be so carefree. He smirked to himself as Alex's image was suddenly replaced with his own in his mind. The scene before him turned very comical and somehow very wrong. Okay, maybe not that carefree! Dancing never was and never would be his thing.

Alex stopped in mid step, looking like the ballerina that sat atop April's jewelry box. "You know," she said, her forehead creasing in thought. "You really have never been alone."

He didn't answer only stared at her blankly. Again he wondered if she wasn't somehow privy to his thoughts. She placed both feet firmly back on the ground and came back to his side.

"He wants you to know that he never really left you guys."

At that Raphael did perk up. "What do you mean?"

She looked at him sadly. "Can't you feel him? He has been trying to reach out to you."

Raphael stood suddenly looking about as if he would see his Father somewhere in the room but there was nothing.

"He has been trying to talk to you for a long time, but you just haven't taken the time to listen."

Raphael was ready to argue, to rant and rave that it wasn't true. But the words died on his lips. He had been so angry at everything for so long he had forgotten what it was to listen to anyone but himself. Anger started to fester in his chest, like a wound that needed to be cleansed it was seeping outwards, encasing his body.

"How is it you know this! What makes you so special!" each syllable brought him closer to her till he was inches away from her face. She didn't flinch but met his gaze.

"Because listening is all that I know how to do anymore."

Just like that, his anger was ebbing away. After all, what right did he have to yell at her when she only spoke the truth? He stepped away, balling his fists up at his sides, he wanted something to hit. Raph wanted to take his residual anger out on something! However, there was nothing for him to take it out on, except himself.

"Why don't you try to meditate?" came the small suggestion behind him.

"Because I suck at it." It was true; he really did suck at it. Leo was the only one who got the whole meditation thing. Even when Master Splinter required them to meditate he just used it as a way to get a nap in his day. He never could understand how their Master could sit there for hours on end doing absolutely nothing but thinking.

"Try?"

He looked back at her and frowned. It never worked for him before; he really didn't see how anything was going to change. However, even as he thought it he was lowering himself to the ground. He placed his hands on his knees looking over to Alex again who had sat herself back onto the bench. With a long sigh he allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes, turning his sight inward, making a silent plea to be heard, and to hear in return.

As he expected, nothing happened. He tried to not let it bother him too much but pain was encroaching on him, wallowing in his failure. That is when he first noticed that he was starting to feel again. Whereas everything had seemed so distant before, now he could feel his emotions as if they were tangible. In his minds eye he saw them as ribbons of color. Bright red for anger, it was the color that flowed the closes to him. Black for the darkness that came to close to his heart, it allowed him a lack of remorse for his actions and it was tied closely to the red, like a dark undercurrent. Desperately he pushed them away from him.

Anger was not what he wanted to feel. He wanted to remember what it felt like to be happy, what it felt like to be at peace with himself and his family. It seemed like it was something that hadn't happened in a long time. Indeed, he came across a memory of the four of them, he and his brothers, as small children gazing up in wonderment to their Father. He was telling them some grand story of a great warrior. Raphael smiled despite himself. It was a time before he was angry at the world, heck, they didn't even really know what the world was.

Raph wanted to stay where he was, he felt safe there. Dream Raph sat down next to his Father. Listening to the drone of Master Splinter's voice as it lulled him into a strong feeling of security. He gazed to the upturn faces of his brothers content to sit there and relive the moment.

"My son, you cannot stay here." It took time before Raphael noticed the change of tone in the voice that had been speaking. That and the fact the words seemed to be directed towards him.

Raphael looked over to Splinter to find sad brown eyes looking back at him. He wanted to argue. The little kid that was in his heart wanted to yell and pound his fists against his chest and tell his Father that he could stay. However, he wasn't a little kid anymore.

The vision in front of him started to change; his brothers disappeared along with the book in his Master's hands. They now faced each other silently. The warm feeling that Raphael had been missing was back full force and for the first time he realized that he had indeed been shutting it out. So hurt by Splinter's death he had walled himself up. He had been trying to keep everything that reminded him of his father at bay, only allowing himself to really feel his loss after drinking himself into a stupor. That way he didn't have to admit to himself what he was feeling, he could simply blame the drink. His father had died, but he was trying to kill him all over again. Raphael dropped his head in shame.

"I know Father."

A long and bony finger curled under Raph's chin, tilting his head back up to meet Splinter's eyes.

"My son, I have tried again and again to reach out to you but you were so set on not hearing me." He gave his son a gentle smile. "You are far too hard on yourself. Don't let your emotions rule you, they are misguiding at best."

"Father, I keep messing up." He wanted to look away again but couldn't. Thoughts about the people he had killed, Donnie in danger and him not being able to help. He could have gone on but Splinter stopped him.

"Do not keep torturing yourself, my son. Life is its own teacher. Retrospect allows us to see our mistakes. The future is always open to change. Learn from your past and move boldly into your future."

Raphael didn't say anything and simply nodded. He understood the message clearly, but another part of him was still afraid to make the wrong choice.

"My son," Splinter said with an almost inaudible sigh, "To go back or come with me is the choice you alone can make."

Splinter didn't say anything more, he didn't have to. The rest of what he wanted to say hung in the air about him. His brothers still needed him and vise versa. To go with Splinter now, while appealing, was not necessarily the best choice to make. Going with Splinter would mean peace and rest, but leaving his brothers to who knew what fate.

"I will go back." He said with a clear resolve.

Splinter gave him another smile. "You are brave, my son, as I have always known you to be. Do not doubt yourself or your abilities so much." Raphael felt the vision fading, drifting away from him. He tried desperately to hold on but it was no use. Soon it was gone, disappearing into a far away place that he couldn't reach.

"I love you and I am proud of you, my son." With those final words the vision was gone and he opened his eyes. He was where he had been before. Raphael was in the room of white with one bench and two doors, a room that on some level he knew didn't really exist either.

Tears stung his eyes but did not fall, he wouldn't let them. Slowly he stood to his full height looking at the doors. There was no more time to waste; he needed to get back to his family.

"Is there something that I can ask of you?" came a tiny voice behind him. He had almost missed the words.

Alex stepped up beside him gazing at the door he was reaching for then back up to his face. "They keep asking about my family. I want to answer them but…it just hurts too much."

"Where are they?" he asked her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We were headed to Winnemucca, in Nevada from Las Vegas."

An odd thought hit him; there were a number of horror movies in Mikey's collection that centered on that general area. Not to mention Bishop had a base out that way as well. The fact that this girls story had started off in the Nevada desert seemed somewhat expected. His heart went out to her.

"Don't worry, I will find them." At this she gave him an honest smile that went from ear to ear. She lunged forward and wrapped her arms about him burying her face in his chest. He was a bit taken aback but found himself returning the hug anyway.

She let go and took a step back. "Good luck and thank you."

Raphael turned to the door grasping the handle and ignoring the siring pain he felt. With a great shove it opened and he was falling though it. Darkness collapsed on him and he could feel nothing, nothing but pain. It was all over his body but most notably in his side. Like a man drowning he felt himself flailing about trying to find the surface but he wasn't sure in which direction he should be heading.

He groaned as light came crashing down on him. It took him a moment to realize that his eyes were in fact open and he was in some kind of room made of stone. There was a noise off to his side and he saw Mikey sprawled out on the floor snoring. He was ecstatic to see him, but damn that infernal noise. Raph reached up by his head, the motion hurt but it was doable. He grabbed whatever it was that was under his head and tossed it at his brother. His aim was dead on and the towel landed into the gapping whole that was Mikey's mouth. Instantly he began to choke and sputter, rousing him from his sleep.

Foggy eyes looked about, "Damn you Leo!"

"That wasn't Leo you prat, it was me. How am I supposed to rest with you making all that noise?"

"Raph?" dim eyes suddenly lit up to an impossible brightness. "Oh my God, it is, you are…" At that Mikey gave up and was chocking back a sob.

Raph didn't say anything but reached an arm out to his brother who gently hugged him, trying not to touch his wound. "Raph, I don't know what I would have done if I lost you…what either of us would have done…" the rest was unsaid and there was nothing Raph could say so he simply tightened his arm around his brother. It was a simple gesture that conveyed so much meaning to both brothers. Mikey pulled away, wiping his arm across his eyes.

"Bro, I am glad you came back."

"So am I, Mikey. So am I."

"I am going to go get Leo. He went to talk to the Domio again. Oh by the way," Mikey was suddenly very animated as he talked to Raph and it made him smile. Some things about his little brother would never change, and he hoped they never did. "We brought you to the Domio when we seen your wounds and his healer patched you up. Since then the Domio has been looking for Donnie." Sorrow crept into Mikey's voice again and his brow fell. "We still don't know what happened to him. He and Karai are still lost in time."

"We will find him Mikey." His voice sounded weak and distant and he was suddenly very tiered. He allowed his eyes to fall close, but opened them again when he felt Mikey start to shake him gently. "What?!" he was angry but then he saw the panic in his brother's eyes and he sighed.

"Your not going to leave us again are you?"

"No Mikey, I am just tiered. Go get Leo and wake me when you get back okay?"

"Alright." He sounded hesitant as if he wasn't sure if Raph was telling him the truth or not. Mikey waited a moment but Raph gave him a reassuring smile which Mikey returned. "I won't be gone long!" Mikey turned on his heals and ran from the room.

Raph felt his absence immediately and frowned. Part of him wanted to call his brother back to him but he didn't. His talk with their Father was already fading from him, it now felt like some distant vivid dream but somewhere along the way he had lost the words. Like a player losing his script. Only the feelings the conversation had invoked stayed with him. It was the feeling of love and peace, and the concrete knowledge that he and his brothers were never truly alone, their Father would always be with them.

Raph closed his eyes and for the first time in a long while he dreamed. They were the dreams he had missed because in them he wasn't fighting off some unknown demon or running from some sort of pain. He was at peace, he was where he belonged.

Raphael was home.

Author's Note: So the next part will be Donnie and Karai finally coming home. Let me know what you thought of this chapter! (-: It was a little more peaceful then the last one. I am finally more than halfway through this story.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT and I am not making any money off this story.

A/N: Sorry this bit took me so long. Hope that everyone likes it. Please leave a review if you do. I really like to hear what you think and if there is anything that I can improve upon. Thanks! (-:

Chapter 9

Karai's Revelation

Blades that had been pointed dangerously close to Karai were pulled back, not completely but enough that she didn't feel she was in immediate danger. Quickly she scanned her surroundings, both for Leo and for a possible escape. None presented itself that wouldn't involver her possible death.

"Mistress Karai?" the question was repeated with a bit more force and she snapped back to attention.

"Yes, my name is Karai." She dragged herself to her feet and stood a bit unsteady. The Foot soldiers began to mutter amongst themselves. Karai was able to catch bits and peaces, something about she was too young to be the daughter of the Shredder; which was true in this world. Again she looked about herself. Leonardo was still close, she could feel him but there was no way he was going to attack in the open. It was just too dangerous.

One of the Foot, the tallest out of the bunch, stepped up to her bringing his blade about to rest less than an inch from her neck. She did not flinch, it would do no good to show any fear to these ninja, to do so would more than likely bring about her death.

"You are not Karai." The voice was short and cold.

Looking him in the eye, or at least where the eye guards were on his mask, she answered him. "Yes, I am Karai." It was the truth after all so she felt no guilt as she said it. Her confidence in her identity was probably the only thing that was going to save her. As long as she could keep the half wits guessing there was a good possibility that it could lead to an opportunity to escape.

Again the muttering amongst themselves before the one who spoke before turned back to her. "Fine, we will let the Shredder decide what he wants to do with you."

Karai's heart sunk, there was a time when that would have brought her great joy but now she shuddered at the thought. A part of her loved her father, more than she liked to admit, but her eyes had opened somewhat to what he was capable of. He had always talked about having absolute power and she had averted her eyes in shame and tried to pretend that her father wasn't serious. However, now there was no denying just to what length he would go in order to gain his absolute power.

"Move!" her concentration must have faltered again as she was unprepared for the slap from the flat of a sword against her shoulders. She staggered and gritted her teeth as her arm was jarred again. More than anything Karai wanted to be home, in her New York. She needed to find Donatello.

"I said move!" this time she was ready for the swing and moved just beyond the reach of the blade. Giving the man her best look of anger she started to move out with the group of ninjas.

They stayed mostly to the main roads rather than the shadows as she had hopped. These ninja obviously felt no need to hide from anyone; after all everyone went out of their way to hide from them.

As they walked Karai continued to look about her. Leonardo was out of sight but she was sure he was still following. There was no logical reason as to why she knew this, it was just intuition. Long time ago she had learned not to ignore her intuitions, they seldom failed her. Idly she wondered why it was that she could touch his presence so easily. There was something about him that called out to her, it always had.

She was poked in her side once more but with less force then the last few times. Apparently she wasn't walking fast enough so she stepped up her pace. They were almost to their destination; if she wanted to look up she would see the light on the tower. Her feet became heavy and she moved with reluctance. For once she wanted nothing more than to be saved. She wanted Leonardo to jump out with all of his enthusiasm. It was the enthusiasm of a warrior who only met defeat in passing. Although, she knew it wouldn't happen, the Leo who followed her had met defeat in the worst possible way. The scars he carried went deeper than flesh; his soul had been cleaved in two. Still, his presence gave her hope and she held onto that feeling for all that she was worth. It was the only thing that kept her anchored, her only glimmer of light in a dark tunnel. That is why it was that much harder when she realized that he was falling back.

They had reached the marble steps that lead to her father's tower. Logically she knew that there was no way Leonardo could follow her where she was going but it didn't kill the need she felt for him. Karai was not afraid of facing her father as much as she was afraid of herself. Would she beg his forgiveness? Would she feel obligated to offer him her services? What if she really was as weak as what Leonardo had pegged her for, would she let a child she had called her daughter to be killed?

A deep seeded panic was welling up insider her. She tried to keep her breathing steady as large doors opened to admit them into the main foray. There were a number of people about, going to and fro with purpose. It looked, well it looked normal. That is if you ignored the armed guards who stood at every entrance and thought the entire floor. That is when she looked a little close at the people who seemed to be working. They averted their eyes and dropped their shoulders. Karai had the distinct impression that these people were not here by their own volition. This truly was a slave world with no hope of a revolution.

The group she was walking with suddenly stopped and she followed suit still gazing about herself. One of the Foot ninja walked up to a guard and Karai knew that they were talking about her but she really didn't care. They were given clearance and she was then shoved into one of the many elevators. The guard followed them and put an all too familiar key into the control panel allowing them to go straight to her Father's office.

The rest of the ride was a blur for Karai. She didn't even recall coming out of the elevator or their movements from one room to another. The moment she came back to herself was when she felt two powerful hands grip her shoulders in order to push her down to the ground. She looked back in annoyance but froze when a familiar voice spoke up.

"What is the meaning of this?!" clear annoyance at being bothered rang out.

"My Lord," the one ninja stepped forward and bowed to his master. "We found this woman who claims to be your daughter."

Their eyes met and a deep chill ran down her spine. He did not have about him his metal armor, just the Foot Elite. The Utron had become so comfortable with himself that he no longer felt the need to hide from the world. Karai averted her own gaze. When he was like this it was hard for her to pretend that he was not what she wanted him to be which was a good man and her father. His eyes were cold and malicious by nature and they burned into her as a wicked smile crept across his thin lips.

"You are dismissed. Good that you brought this imposter to me rather than kill her." He watched them leave and then turned to his honored guards and addressed them. "Follow that team and eliminate them."

"Yes My Lord," was the response as two of four Elite left their master to follow their prey.

Karai was horror stricken. "Father you can't! That would be dishonorable!" She hadn't meant to slip up, to call him Father. Her resolve where he was concerned, man or alien was weak and she berated herself her lack of will power.

"Dishonorable?" the creature had now turned its full attention back upon the human. "What do I care about honor? That is your concern Karai, if you are indeed her." There was a moment where he seemed to looking through her and she felt the need to hide herself from him but resisted looking at him without showing any of the fear she was feeling.

"You are her but," he announced as if his acknowledging it made it real. "How have you come here?"

That she was not about to tell him! "I fell though time, it was a mistake."

"Hmmm," he appeared to be thinking. "And can you get back to your time?"

"No," the lie stung her lips even as she said it, but there was no way she wanted this thing that she used to hold so dear to follow her back to her time.

"Such a shame," the light of interest in his eyes faded and his eyes were cold and bare once more. "You always were such a disappointment to me."

If he wanted to hurt her then he had just succeeded without any effort. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice suddenly weak as if she had received a blow to her stomach.

"You silly little girl, you still think it a coincident that I found you alone in that house? Still think you are something that I would have taken pity on?" his words were cold and harsh and it felt to her that they left red welt across her face.

"Your real father worked for me," he continued, uncaring or unnoticing the pain he was causing the human. "The man committed the worse crime against me; he was sabotaging the company I had worked so hard to build. He was turning over some of my less legal activities over to the authorities. I had to silence him but I wanted him to suffer, death would have been far too easy an option. So I built a prison and locked him away. He bagged for me to let him go so that he could save you. Apparently you were the only thing that he ever really cared about. He should have thought of that before he decided to take me on. However, he did make me think. I finally knew how I could torture him for the rest of his natural life. Take the daughter he had left unprotected and raise her as my own. Have her fight by my side and to aid me in the growth of my ambitions. Take that little girl and mold her into what I wanted her to be and make sure the man rotting away in that far away cell would always know what he lost and what I had gained." He finished the last bit with a smile adding to the twisting pain of his words.

She shook her head; she didn't want to believe him! How could this be, she didn't remember anything about her real parents. She did remember though when she was little she had asked her adopted father about her real parents. He always told her the same thing until finally she stopped asking. He would tell her that her parents didn't want her so they just left her to die. Never really knowing why, those words never set well with her; they had always seemed false and hollow somehow. Yet, he never faltered in his answer so she simply learned to accept it, what else could she do? However, now she knew why she never really believed him, vague shadows of a lost memory swam to the surface of her thoughts. A gentle hand and soft words spoken to her, something the Shredder had never done.

"No! You can not speak the truth!" still she rallied against the possible truth of his words. If she accepted them then her life would have been one huge lie.

"What reason would I have to lie to you little girl?" he turned away from her as if she were of no more importance then a sack of trash and addressed another of his guards. "Take this girl to the Compost for execution with all of the other rebels captured on the last raid."

"What!?" it was the final verbal strike that she could not withstand. The invisible blade pierced her heart and she thought for sure she would die from the subsequence pain it caused her. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as her arms were grabbed. There was even more pain from her broken appendage but if paled to the pain that was from a far deeper wound. That creature she had defended, cared for, saved, called Father, and loved was tossing her aside like a used rag.

She began to struggle, both physically and mentally against everything. There was no form to her fight; it was simply a mindless struggle against everything that she had been told, everything that had happened to her. A fist connected with her chin but it didn't faze her. Again and again she was struck as she was dragged from the room. Nothing mattered now; if they killed her then she would see it as a blessing. Anything to stop what she was feeling inside she would welcome with open arms. Karai was aware of another blow to her head and this time she felt herself losing her grip on reality. There was a world of darkness that beckoned her forth and she followed it willingly.

The body the guards had been struggling with finally went limp in their combined arms and they sighed with relief. There was nothing more difficult then trying to hold down a wild lioness.

With little ceremony they dragged the limp form out of the Foot tower and to the afore mentioned encampment. It wasn't far from the tower itself, in fact, the tower was even visible to the occupants. It was a constant reminder as to why they were imprisoned and why they would be executed.

There was little security around accept for a couple of guards and a large chain link fence with sharp barbed wire at the top. For the most part there were not a lot of security measures needed for such an establishment. Most of the occupants were far too weak from hunger and old wounds to even attempt an escape attempt. That isn't to say that it hadn't been tried, but it just meant that everyone's execution would come that much faster. If the guards opened fire on one then they opened fire on everyone, no one would be spared.

Karai was tossed to the ground which would have been painful if she had been awake. As it was she was still blissfully oblivious to everything around her. The guards left, talking amongst themselves about odd little things such as the weather and who would take what shift the following day. They ignored those around them, the beaten and battered that was desperately trying to hide within the shadows hopping to go unnoticed.

Slowly Karai came back to herself. Pain radiated through her but it didn't matter. Her spirit had been broken in a way she had never dreamed possible. The understanding that her entire life was a lie for the first time became crystal clear. She rolled over onto her back staring idly at the dark skies. How long had she been in this world? She was no longer sure, truly, she wasn't sure of anything anymore. Except that she was going to die. All hope that she held for an escape had been demolished by her father…by that creature that she had once called her father. Day had rushed into night which had turned to day only to be thrown under the cover of dark once more. Or was it so desperate here that the sun never bothered to come out anymore? Karai felt the lone tear break away and roll down a swollen cheek unabated.

At the corner of her awareness she felt the return of a familiar presence. It was warm and soft and it draped itself over her protectively. The warmth caressed her as a gentle and caring hand and she welcomed it. Allowed herself the luxury of momentarily forgetting where she was. Karai remembered the past events as if they were a foggy dream she could escape from or at least pretend that it really was just a dream. Without care she allowed the images to flow from her, she was an open book and held nothing back and like a dry sponge they were being soaked up by the other.

The dream was fading as was the presence that surrounded her. Leaving her cold and bare as it pulled away but did not leave her completely. She heard a foot fall as someone walked towards her; Karai knew it was a deliberate sound meant for her ears alone. The sound had stopped just outside the chain linked fence. A part of her wanted to turn and reach out for him, wanted him to help her but a larger part felt she deserved to be exactly where she was.

"Never thought you would be willing to give up just because he was mean to you."

Leonardo's voice was a sweet melody to her ears and it was the push she needed to will herself to move. She pushed herself into a sitting position with one arm and dragged herself the short distance to the fence that separated them. She looked for the guards but really didn't need to concern herself with them. They were both at the other end of the compound deeply interested in some card game. She let the side of her face fall against the cold metal, relishing the cool contrast it offered her against her hot skin. Karai could not see her face but she knew that she looked a mess. There was no way she could take that many blows to the head and still look normal. At least Leo was blind so it wouldn't matter. Gently Leonardo pushed his fingers through the links and brushed them against her cheek.

"That must hurt," was all that he said. She could feel him withdrawing and desperately she grabbed onto him, unwilling to lose the physical contact so soon. It felt that for a moment he was going to break away from her so she tightened her hold. Only when she felt him relax did she loosen her own grip, her fingers resting in his.

There was a soft sigh from beside her ear. "I can't stay here Karai."

"Why not?" she whispered back, she felt like something was going to break inside her again and she wasn't all that sure she could take it. Why couldn't he just save her? Now that she was willing to be saved it seemed like it was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Why can't you just save me?" she hadn't meant to say it out loud, but she guessed that it didn't really matter anymore.

"Because you are not mine to save."

There it was a hard but cold truth. He was not her Leonardo and she was not his Karai. They had each made choices in their lives which had divided them into who they had become. Choices that had forever altered their individual paths that they each traveled so that they would never meet again except for by a fluke accident. They were past and present looking at one another and both wishing they had made different choices. Yet, nether one could change what they had already done.

"There was a time when I would have given anything to hear those words from your lips." Leo whispered more to himself than to her.

"You used to be so passionate, what happened to that part of you?" she whispered in a broken voice.

His fingers tightened around hers before he answered her. His own voice sounded just as broken as hers had a moment before. It sounded as if he were also close to tears of his own. She glanced at his face but found his expression blank, void of the feeling that was behind his voice.

"I used to care; I used to think I could save everyone. Including you, but then you took my will, my life, my passion and my family the day you went back to the Shredder. The day you betrayed and destroyed my family, I live because I do not know how to do anything else. I am a living shell of who I once was because of the things that you have done."

"I am not that person…" a choked sob escaped her and she tried to suck it back in. She did not want to break down before him! She hadn't cried in front of anyone since she was three years old. Karai struggled to gain some form of control of herself again.

"I know you are not her, but you could be. If you did not know the things you know right now would you have really done anything differently?"

"I…" she wanted to say that she wouldn't have run to her father but she knew that it would have been another lie. But now it was different, she could see him now clearly, all of the things, all of the wrong he had ever done was evident to her now. "I wouldn't, not now! After everything he has done, I would die before I went back to him."

"I hope you remember that if the opportunity ever arises for you."

He was closer now. She could feel the fingers of his other hand ghost across her cheek. Fingers tightened around hers once more before he whispered in her ear again.

"Karai, I really must go." The sinking feeling was back. He really was going to leave her. Desperately she tightened her grip on his hand even though she knew it was a fruitless gesture as he could break her hold easily.

"Please Leonardo, don't leave me here." Could that be considered begging? She didn't care if it was; she just wasn't prepared to be alone. Karai couldn't bear the thought of not being able to feel his presence.

"Karai," his voice was soft and she was happy that at least she knew her plea had reached him on some level as he sounded as broken and close to tears as she felt. "Please let go."

Everything in her screamed at her not to do it, but she let her fingers slowly slip from his. Allowing the hand to fall like a dead weight to the ground. He stayed there for a few more moments, she felt that there was more that he wanted to say but nothing came. She heard his coat brush against the fence as he stood up and moved away from her. There were no foot steps that she could hear but she knew without looking that he had stopped just a few feet away from her.

"I am sorry Karai, that I can't be who you need me to be. I am no longer anyone's knight in shinning armor. I'm not even a tarnished knight. I am nothing more than a living shadow."

Leonardo was gone and this time she knew he wasn't coming back for her. Despite knowing this she still snapped her head around in the vein hope that she would see him, but as she expected there was nothing. Nothing but an empty street and her memory to keep her company, she closed her eyes and hoped that death would not wait to long to come and claim her. Karai closed her eyes against a world she no longer wanted to see.

There was a commotion going on in the compound but Karai could not will herself to open her eyes again. She was simply too exhausted to do so. That is until she felt strong fingers gently probing her shoulder.

"Karai?" she knew that voice but it seemed impossible that he would have found her.

"Leo?" she breathed out the name.

"No, not Leo, it's me Donnie." Don looked down at the broken form in his arms. Karai looked like she had been hit by a freight train. When he had come over to her he had almost not recognized her. One side of her face was swollen beyond recognition.

"Oh Donatello," Karai tried to look at him but her eyes were stubborn. The swelling on her face was trying to seal her eyes shut and she found that thought a bit terrifying. "Donatello, I am sorry, for everything."

"Okay," he was a little taken aback by the apology as it wasn't what he was expecting her to say. There was some noise off in the distance and he was sure that staying where they were was not going to be a good idea. He had knocked out the two guards but he had a feeling the place was under other surveillance if the camera he had seen was anything to go by. It would only be a matter of time before there would be others.

"Come on Karai, stay with me just a little longer." Mindful of his own injuries he hauled the woman up onto her feet. Karai was leaning heavily on him; he had one arm wrapped around her tiny waste to hold her up. Donatello pulled the Staff from his back and held it in front of them both.

"Karai, grab the Staff." Slowly one hand moved and did as he asked. "Now think of going home, before any of this started. Can you do that?"

She gave him a small nod so he turned his attention back to the cursed thing and thought about being home. There was a bright light that was slowly engulfing them and a sensation of being pulled somewhere.

A second before they departed Karai felt Leonardo's presence touch her one last time. A gentle caress followed by kind words of hope he no longer claimed to feel.

"Good luck Karai, don't make the same mistakes again…" the words floated to her as if in a dream and then it all disappeared.

Just as quickly as it had begun it was all over. Pavement was beneath their feet and as they opened their eyes they were on the same street where everything had begun. That is except for the accident, Foot ninja and his brothers.

Karai lost her battle with consciousness and would have fallen if not for Don's grip about her waist. He had no choice and gritted his teeth against the sharp protest his shoulder gave him as he lifted her up into his arms. There was no way he could take her to a hospital, that would be too close to people and he still wasn't sure when they had landed. They could be past, present or future. It was possible that they had followed time in a parallel fashion. There were just too many variables to take into consideration. However, there was no way he was going to risk taking Karai to their lair, not given her track record with them.

The garage would be the best bet. He could leave her there while he went to get supplies and try and figure out where they had come back to. That and he wouldn't have to carry her that far.

He moved through the streets in complete silence, entering the old garage without notice. Don found a work bench that was in decent shape and laid his burden down. He had thought her unconscious so was surprised when a small hand reached out for him.

"Please, Donatello, know that I am sorry for everything that I have done. I would never try and bring that monster back here." The voice was weak, but seemed desperate for him to believe her. She went to try and say more when he didn't answer her but he stopped her.

"Karai don't worry. Just rest okay? I am going to go and get some supplies and try and figure out where we are. You just stay here and keep quiet. I will be back in about fifteen minutes, promise." He patted the hand that was gripping his arm so desperately. At his promise to come back he felt the grip loosen.

Karai had appeared to loose consciousness again so he took it as his opportunity to leave. It took only a matter of a few minutes to get back home and he called out for his brothers. There was no one there, but he knew that before he had even called their names. The place just felt barren. Knowing his brother's he hopped they were out looking for him. Then the image of his own body laying forgotten in an underground cell came back to him but he shook it off. He wouldn't allow himself to think about that, he didn't have time for his walking nightmares.

Quickly he ran into his lab and grabbed everything that he thought he might need and threw it into one of his many bags. He took time to spare a glance at his computer to confirm that they were in the correct year. It seemed that several days had past but they were at least home, he was sure of it. He was headed for the door when he saw it. The large patch of blood on the floor and Donatello's heart hit rock bottom.

He knelt down by the red patch; one of his brothers had been wounded obviously. He reached for his cell phone to call April but then remembered that she was still at the convention in Los Angeles and wouldn't be home for another week. There was nothing he could do except hope that his brothers were okay and that he would catch up with them soon.

Reluctantly he headed up to the streets of New York towards the wounded ninja he had promised to return to. Once enemies, now reliant on each other more then they ever knew. Their lives, like two vivid strands of thread had become intricately entwined by that hands of fate, neither would ever be the same as they were before their misadventures had begun. For better or for worse, they faced a new unwritten future.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles and I am making no money off this story.

Okay, here is another chapter, sorry it took so long but I got a bit distracted. I am going to try and get two more parts up this weekend to make up for my slacking. In this chapter I don't know if I am all that happy with Raph, he seems a little off but I am not sure why. I wanted to portray the shift in his character but I don't know if I am all that happy with the results…oh well.

As always, if you have any comments or suggestions on my writing please let me know in a review. Comments are always desired and appreciated. I wanted to give a big thank you to Alora05 and Polly for your continual reviews. (-; You both keep me inspired and I appreciate your input!! Anyway, on with the story…

Chapter 11

A Life Broken A Life Saved

Raphael was alone for the first time in days. It was a miracle that he was able to shoo off both an obsessive little brother as well as his over protective older brother. Part of him enjoyed their company but there was another side that just wanted a little peace and quiet. Mikey had been the one who really noticed that he needed the time to himself and had dragged Leo out of the infirmary. It was a relief; Leo had turned into some insane mother hen that watched everything that he did to make sure he didn't push himself too hard during his recovery. Raph understood his brothers concern but if he didn't get a break from Leo he was going to snap.

After his brothers had left he had headed out himself, asking one of the nurses for the best escape rout which they smiled and pointed to a far set of stairs. He was sick of looking at blank white walls and he itched for a soft breeze or the warm touch of the sun on his neglected skin. Anything would be better than that room. This of course led to his currant position. He now stood alone on the roof of the building. The freedom did wonders for his spirit and he felt as if a large weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He almost felt giddy, not that he would let his brothers ever see it but it was a relief to feel so free and it didn't all have to do with that white room. For the first time in over a year Raphael felt more like his old self.

With a deep breath he brought his hands together in front of him, slowly stretching his leg out in a kick. What he really wanted was to hit his punching bag but there was none to be had. So instead he had settled for doing some simple katas. The wound in his side was almost healed but he could still feel a deep pain where he had been stabbed when he moved too fast. The healer had told him to take it easy; his body would tell him when it was healed completely.

Leonardo was bound and determined to keep Raphael in bed which of course was a battle Leo was quickly losing. He needed to move, needed to keep pushing himself. Raphael wasn't a fool; he knew when he pushed himself too far but he understood that Leo's obsession with him was not completely due to his injuries. His brother was desperate. He was in a constant need to have something to do. Something to focus on that he could control so that he didn't drive himself crazy thinking about the things that he couldn't control. However, Leo was driving everyone else crazy in the process.

Raph shook his head to clear it. He was supposed to be focused on his exercise but it seemed that while his body enjoyed the simple act of moving, his mind was focused on nothing and everything at the same time. If Master Splinter had been there Raphael knew that he would have felt the bite of his cane by now. Thinking of Splinter did make him smile, he remembered his dream. Well, to some extent he remembered it. More like he remembered the feeling he had, the warmth of his Father's words, the encompassing love of his presence. He no longer could recall the exact words that had been said just the meaning behind them. It was really hard to describe.

Raphael wanted to tell his brothers about his journey back but he wasn't ready. Perhaps he was being a bit selfish but he wanted to hold his father close to him for a little longer. That and he felt he needed the time to sort through his own feelings. The day that Splinter died was still fresh in his mind, the expanse of time sense his death doing nothing to dull it, but the sharp edges about the memory seemed smoother. They didn't cut him so deeply when he reached out for it. Not like it had once done. The memory had been so painful to look upon that he had found himself avoiding it all together. Now it was different, it still hurt but he could now look upon the memory and see the life lessons and love that Splinter had left behind for all of them. Splinter had always been the dedicated Father to them all and he shuddered to think what their lives would have been without him.

He had been so angry. A part of him was even mad at Splinter for dying as illogical as that sounded. They had all been there that night as the old rat drifted off in his sleep. It was so quiet and so quick that the brothers had simply looked to one another none wanting to believe the old rat was gone. Splinter hadn't even really been that sick, just weak and old. Leo kept checking for a pulse even after he knew there wasn't one but he couldn't stop. Donatello was the one who finally had to pull Leo away, whispering that he was gone, nothing more any of them could do.

Mikey was the one who stepped forward placing a shaking hand on Splinter's cooling forehead. With his other hand he pulled the old tattered sheet up and over their Masters body. As he let go and the sheet drifted down framing Splinter's body and at that dreadful moment Raphael had felt something break inside of him. Like the concrete wall of a dam, he felt the structure of his life cracking from its very foundation. Confusion, fear, anger all seeped from him but as the crack grew in size so did his lack of control over his feelings.

He roared, he remembered that but not much else. For the first time that he could remember no one tried to calm him down. No one said anything to him. Leo's face was ashen, Donatello was blank and Mikey still sat by Splinter, hands still gripped the old sheet. Raphael had left and headed for the streets, grabbing his bike he roared off into the night without helmet or disguise. He simply didn't care anymore and he turned to speed for some kind of relief. Whipping down the streets of New York like a red blur Raphael refused to stop. Pushing the bike to top speeds he was relentless. At the time he had felt that somehow, if he could just go fast enough, get enough speed he could out run his life. Out run the pain and confusion that was chasing after him like some dark hungry demon. There were a number of times he felt the bike slip and he was barely able to keep control. Looking back now Raph wondered if some force had been watching out for him that night, protecting and guiding him when he was incapable of doing so for himself.

Raph stayed away from his brothers for almost a week. He came back finally to help bury their father but he wasn't the same. None of them were. Raphael went through the motions of living but really he wasn't, he was still on that bike running away from something he would never be able to escape from. He had been running and would still be running if he hadn't been forced to make a choice. Raphael had a new lease on life and he would be damned if he was going to waste it.

With a final sweeping motion Raphael ended his kata and exhaled softly. The tight feeling in his muscles was gone and he felt refreshed again. It was a beautiful day, the sun shone above him warming his skin and he moved to the ledge of the building looking out on the expanse of greenery. That was the only thing his city didn't have enough of, wide open spaces. Not that he would ever be willing to give up his city for open masses of land, but he could still appreciate it when he saw it.

There was only one shadow that loomed over him still and that was Donatello. The sight of Karai over his brother was enough to bring back the bitter after taste of his anger. He tried to control it to the best of his abilities. Neither Leo nor Mikey brought up Donnie. That isn't to say that he wasn't constantly on their minds it was just that they all knew there was nothing to be done. Nothing they could do, they were completely at the mercy of the Domio and his war staff. So they tried to keep themselves preoccupied but each day was a new challenge and Raph didn't know just how much longer he would be able to keep his cool.

Raphael had always made it his duty to watch out for Donnie. His brother was intelligent but preoccupied most of the time. That and Don was a shity fighter. Out of all of them he hated to cause permanent damage to anyone in a fight, even if they were trying to kill him. Raph had lost count of just how many times he had to bale out his brother, but this time he wasn't fast enough.

A feeling of guilt sliced through him, he should have been faster, stronger, but he wasn't and now Donnie was lost. There was a dark voice at the edge of his consciousness that tried to lure him towards it. It wanted him to feel his guilt and wallow in it. The voice wanted him to pull his weapons out and kill the first thing that crossed his path in a blind and violent rage. He knew that voice; it was the voice that had taken control of him the night his father died.

With a shake of his head he pushed the voice away from him. Raphael had vowed never again to allow that darker side of him free rein. Donatello was a capable fighter, he would be fine. Raph had to have faith in his brother's abilities.

Raph was pulled out of his reprieve by the sight of his two brothers running towards the infirmary. A slight frown played upon his brows as he watched them from his vantage point. Something was going on. He could tell by the way they were moving. Raphael pushed himself away from the ledge he had been leaning on and started down the stairs to meet Leonardo and Michelangelo.

He opened the door to the main entrance hall just as he seen Leo disappear into the room Raph had been placed for his recovery. Before his brothers could shout his name which he knew was coming, Raph called out to them first.

"What's up guys?" his voice was calm but the concern was evident in his eyes as he looked to both Mikey and Leo.

"Raph!" Mikey lunged himself at Raphael catching him momentarily off guard and wrapping an arm around his neck. Before Raph could say or do anything though Mikey had pulled away again, his face radiating excitement. "He found him!"

"What?" was Raph's somewhat unintelligent remark.

"It is the Domio." Leo said, a bit more subdued than Mikey but he was obviously excited as well. "We just came back from his thrown room and he said that he has found Donnie. He is back in New York."

Raph could feel his heart swell in his own chest. Mikey's enthusiasm was infectious. "Well! Then what are we standing around here for! Lets go!"

Leo reached out and grabbed his arm. "Hey, are you sure you are okay Raph?"

With a quick jerk he pulled his arm away from his brother. "Damn it Leo, I am fine and if you ask me that again then I am going to punch you into next week!" He had said it with a growl but the faint smile gave him away.

His brother raised his arms in surrender with a small smile of his own. "Alright! Good to know that your personality didn't get wounded."

"Would you two shut up and come on!" Mikey's voice came from out in the hall.

"What do ya think Fearless? Shall we go and get our brother back?"

"Lets."

They left at a jog, the movement liberating for all of them. There was purpose in their steps as they moved towards the Domio's home. The brothers didn't even have to climb the steps as they were greeted by the Domio and his aid.

"Domio, we want to thank you for all that you have done for us." All three of them followed Leonardo's lead and bowed to the aged man before them.

"Leonardo, son of Splinter, you are most welcomed. Travel well and be safe."

The Domio raised his mighty war staff and the brothers were incased in light and water. The world began to shift and dim as they slipped through the once solid ground. There was a moment of confusion and vertigo as a new world began to take shape about them. As the light dimmed and the bubble disappeared the familiar shapes and sounds of their city came back to them.

"We are close to the old lair, why would Donnie be here?" Leo was more thinking aloud more than anything else as he looked about himself at their surroundings.

There was a soft moan that could be heard coming from the old abandoned garage and Raph and Leo both moved forward at the same time followed closely by Mikey. As they entered the battered building they saw their lost brother tending the wounds on a much smaller figure that was laid out on an old work bench. Raphael recognized the figure and it took every ounce of his restraint to keep himself from lunging forward.

"Donatello!" Raphael all but roared his brother's name as he moved towards him. "What the hell do you think you are doing!?"

Raphael lifted his brother up with a bit more force than he had initially intended and he felt bad when he saw the obvious pain that it caused Donnie. He loosened his grip but didn't let go as he tried to soften his voice somewhat and repeated the question.

"What do you think you are doing? That bitch tried to kill you and here you are trying to patch her up? That bleeding heart of yours is going to get us all into trouble."

"Raph," Donnie started and then stopped. How and where should he begin his story? He was so exhausted by this point he was having a hard time staying focused on anything. "She said she was sorry."

At that Raph's jaw dropped. "She said she was sorry so you thought you would patch her up for fun?"

"No! I mean yes…I mean…" Donnie finally gave up. He wasn't going to try and explain himself to his brother, perhaps latter but not now. With a long suffering sigh Donnie let himself lean forward slightly against his brother. If Raph were to move then Donnie would fall. Raphael noticed the shift in weight and looked at his brother in concern. The anger he felt a moment before was gone.

"Donnie, bro, you okay?" He gently pushed back on Don's shoulder and noticed the open wound and cursed himself. Once again he had jumped without looking; he hadn't even seen the two wounds on Donnie. He probed them both gently causing the turtle leaning against him to hiss softly in pain. Neither looked too bad, they defiantly needed to be cleaned but otherwise they looked as if they had already made an attempt to heal.

Leonardo watched his brothers for a moment before he walked over closer to Karai. The woman was a battered mess with barely recognizable features. She was mumbling something and Leo leaned in closer as he could have sworn she had called his name.

"Leonardo, I am sorry, sorry, so very sorry. Please do not leave me…"

"I haven't left you Karai," he said as he placed a hand on her burning forehead. For a moment her eyes opened and they seemed to focus on him.

"No, you are just a dream." Her eyes closed again and her words lost their coherency again as she fell into fever. He had never seen anyone so broken as Karai was at that moment and it broke his heart.

"Leo!" It was Raph calling to him and he turned only slightly to show that he was listening. "Come on Leo, lets go."

"We can't just leave her Raph!" at least he couldn't. He knew that he should but… "We could take her with us." Even as it was out of his mouth he knew it was a stupid thing to say.

"You have got to be kidding me. Mikey, take Donnie for a sec." Leo heard some shuffling behind him and then Raph was beside him. "You and me, we are gonna have a little talk outside."

Leo looked up but didn't say anything following his brother out the door and across the street to a secluded alley way. When Raph turned to face him his expression unsettled him. Leonardo had never been afraid of his brother but something in his eyes made him hesitate just slightly.

"Leo, I know you don't mean what you just said. I know that you ain't that stupid. That you would put us all at risk just because in a delirious moment Karai apologized to you and Donnie."

Raph's voice came out in a low growl that gave Leo pause. The anger in Raphael was obvious, there was a slight shake in his hands and his body was radiating negative energy so much that it was almost tangible. Yet, he was controlling himself. Leo could see the lion behind his brother's eyes but it had been locked behind iron bars. This control that his brother had displayed was what made Leo actually listen to him so intently. He suddenly felt ashamed for even mentioning taking Karai to their home. It had been a stupid and rash thing to even suggest.

Raphael recognized the pain on Leo's face as he looked down, breaking eye contact.

"Look Leo, I say we call an ambulance. She will be safer going to a hospital than to go to the lair in an underground sewer."

"Your right, I just…" How could he describe what he was feeling?

"You just want to be the one to save her." At that Raph place a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Look, not everyone can be or even wants to be saved."

Leo didn't say anything to that and just silently watched as Raph pulled out his phone dialing for help as he walked across the way to get their brothers. In a matter of moments he was back supporting a very weak Donatello.

Together all four stood in the alley watching as paramedics pulled up in a flurry of sound and movement. Before Leo could count to ten the men in white came out of the old garage bearing precious cargo. Just like that they were gone again and the world fell quiet once more.

Leo looked over to his brothers. Donatello looked beyond exhausted and was now being completely supported by Raph. Mikey looked like he was just ready to go home. Raphael and Leonardo met each others gaze, talking without saying a word. Raph broke away first as he bent down slightly and picked up Donatello who started to complained but quickly gave up with one firm frown from his older brother.

"Go on Leo. I'll take care of Donnie." Leo hesitated but when Raph nodded his head again he took the opportunity that was offered him. He didn't have to be the leader right now; Raph would take care of everything.

Leo gave his brother a small bow before he started out for the nearest roof top to chase after the ambulance. There was only one hospital in the area so he knew where he was headed even if he lost sight of the white vehicle as it roared down the streets.

That had been a few hours past, a few hours that he had left his brothers in that alley way and Leo still waited. He had found Karai's room rather easily after she had finally been assigned one after what he was sure was surgery; sometimes it really paid to be a ninja. A number of doctors and nurses hovered about the bed hooking up a number of machines and talking amongst themselves but everything was finally beginning to wind down some and the number of bodies in the small room were decreasing.

At long last the last nurse stepped out of the room turning down the lights and shutting the door behind her. Leo needed no more encouragement than that and he slipped through the open window. As he approached the bed he had to stifle a small gasp. Now that all the blood had been washed away Karai's multiple wounds were far more apparent. In all his years in battle he had not seen a warrior look so beaten both in body and in spirit. He placed one hand on her forehead and she unconsciously leaned into the slight touch which brought a tight smile to his lips.

"What has happened to you Karai?" Leo pulled away from her and even in sleep she tried to reach out to him but he moved to the foot of the bed. He pulled out the medical chart that the doctors had been looking over moments prior to their departure. He started to flip through it not really knowing what he was looking at but doing his best to make it out. Broken arm, ribs and a fractured skull as well as a number of other wounds had left Karai in critical condition.

With a sigh he put the chart away. He was angry at whoever had done this to her but then another part was telling him that she would have done the same to him given the opportunity. Yet, a still larger part of him didn't want to believe that either. He placed his hand over hers as he stared at the wall, not really seeing anything but replaying all the times he had met Karai in battle.

"Karai," Leo whispered her name and turned to look at the beaten and swollen face. "Whenever I am around you I am weak. I don't think clear I just…want to see the best in you."

What was he doing? It wasn't like she could hear him. He turned to leave, Raph was right, he needed to get his act together and stop allowing Karai to distract him.

"Leo," her voice was quite and weak but he heard it all the same. Their eyes met and he couldn't break the connection even if he wanted to. One shaky hand lifted towards him. "Please don't go just yet."

That was all it took and he was beside her once more.

"Am I dreaming?" her small voice asked.

The question took Leo off guard. "No you're not Karai."

"Good." Her eyes closed again and he thought that perhaps she had drifted off into sleep but Leo realized that she hadn't when her eyes fixed on his face once more.

"I want to say I am sorry Leonardo." He went to say something but she cut him off with a slight squeeze on his hand. "No, please hear me out. I wanted to bring back my father but I learned a lot a bout him and you were right. You were always right. I was just too blind to see it. I didn't want to see it." She closed her eyes again. It was obvious that she was in a lot of pain. "He would have killed me. That is how much I really meant to him."

"Karai, look, you didn't want to see his faults because he was your father."

"No Leo listen, because of him I was willing to end the life of a child. I became the monster that he was. I can't do that, I will never do that." The grip on Leo's hand was slipping as she was losing her grip on the waking world. "I am sorry Leonardo, for everything…"

"Your Father did all of this to you?" he really wasn't surprised but it still angered him that Karai was almost killed by the one person who mattered the most to her. It was the ultimate betrayal.

Her hand slipped from his and he felt a momentary panic and reached for her pulse but she was fine, only sleeping again.

"Karai sleep well and know that I forgive you. This is your chance to make things right. This is your opportunity to take back the honor you have lost." With that he leaned forward and placed a ghost of a kiss on her forehead.

"But what if I fall?" was the faint whisper that teased his ears. He answered without hesitation or thought and he knew that he meant it.

"Then I will catch you." His words reached her and he could see her body fall deeper into a healing sleep.

Leonardo turned to the window to leave. He paused half in and half out, chancing a glance back to the sleeping form. A small smile played on his features.

"I will always be here to catch you Karai, whether you want me to or not."

As fast as he had entered the room he was gone again without a trace, his presence nothing more but a fading memory to a battered warrior.

Well, I now only have three more bits to go before the end of this story, kind of sad really. The next part will be 'The Road Less Traveled,' which will feature Raphael once more as he is faced with another difficult choice.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT and I am making no profit off this story.

Chapter 12

The Road Less Traveled

Things had settled down to a somewhat normal routine again for the brothers. The heavy weight that had been crushing them before was now slowly lifting. They were all beginning to find their place in their small family again. It was a relief.

Leonardo stood alone on one of the many roof tops that spanned the city. A neon light from an oversized sign that shared the same roof space as Leo glared down onto the distant streets below him. Cars roared back and forth, to a fro with blaring horns and growling motors while people the size of ants moved about in masses. It all reminded him of organized chaos. It brought a smile to his face as he stood watching it all from his vantage point, observing it, separate yet still a part of the world below him.

He felt the others presence before he head the fall of a foot on the tar of the roof. Leonardo didn't bother to turn as he greeted his brother. "Hey Raph."

Raphael stopped in mid step. "I swear Leo you are getting just as freaky as Master Splinter."

Leo cracked a small smile at that as Raph joined him at his silent post as guardian over the city. Nothing was said between them but the silence was amiable for once. It lacked the hostility that a silence between them normally held. In fact, Raph seemed to have calmed down a lot. He was still his moody cantankerous self as that would probably be the one thing that never changed about Raph but he lacked the violent uncontrolled edge he once held. For once it was a good change.

"You know Leo I've been thinking." Raph finally broke the silence, turning his back on the city below and leaning against the brick ridge that he had rested his hands on moments before. Leo said nothing and just waited for his brother to continue. "I was thinking about taking off for a while. You know, now that everything has calmed down again. Donnie destroyed that damn staff so we wont have to worry about it anymore."

Leo took in a deep breath and slowly let it back out. A part of him knew that this was coming but he was just hopping that he would have a bit more time to prepare.

Raph tensed immediately, misreading his brother. "Look Leo, I ain't asking for your permission. You had your chance to get out and see the world more than once…"

"I know Raph," he said finally turning to look at his brother cutting him off in mid sentence. Raph stopped when he seen Leo's expression, he looked tired, sad and somehow very old. "I am not going to even try and stop you it's just everything was getting back to normal and…well…I'm just going to miss you. We all will."

That really surprised him. Leonardo missing him just wasn't what he was expecting and it touched him deeply as if he just realized for the first time that Leo really did care. Which was a silly thought because he always knew that his brother did care but it was just that little confirmation Raph had never expected to ever hear aloud.

"So…" Raph started, not really sure what to say but feeling a need to say something. "Run into any Foot ninja tonight."

"Nah," Leo uttered turning once again to watch the people below them go about their daily lives. "I haven't seen anything of the Foot after Karai got out of the hospital. Everything has been really quiet except for the occasional mugger and such."

Raph gazed up at the muddy night sky thinking. He hated Karai, that much still hadn't changed and he doubted that it ever would, but he did feel for the woman somewhat. Donnie had told them about where the two of them had been taken which was bad enough. Donatello didn't have all the details as to what had happened to Karai but he figured out enough to know that she had almost been killed by her father. A bit of poetic justice if you asked Raphael. He knew that Leo had managed to get a bit more of the story after he had visited the hospital, but he had yet to say anything about it. Of course, Raph had never asked. It went back to the fact he really didn't care what happened to Karai, Donnie could have died and it was all because of her so he just couldn't bring himself to pity her. What Leo saw in her he didn't think he would ever understand, but that was the big difference between them. They never had and probably never would understand one another which Raph figured was the underlining reason for each one of their fights. Raph was pulled out of his thoughts by his brothers voice.

"She was betrayed by the one person who meant the most to her. Her whole world was ripped right out from under her."

"That doesn't excuse the things that she has done."

"No it doesn't but people change…"

"But don't try to see a change that isn't there."

"Raph," Leo gritted his teeth. "Couldn't you just entertain the possibility that she might have finally figured out that she messed up?"

"I could but then who would be your voice of reason."

Leo was silent for a moment, Raph had a point but he didn't want to admit it. "Look, it's not like I am going to bring her home or that we are going to be pen pals, but you have to agree that it is nice." He gestured out towards the expanse of the city. "This momentary peace that we have."

"Yes, it is nice," Raphael confirmed reluctantly. "However, it isn't an official cease fire. It could be the pause before the next storm."

"Raph, why do you have to be such a pessimist?"

"Why you gotta be so optimistic?" Raph shot back.

Leo looked over to Raph and their eyes met. They were both equally annoyed with each other and if one of them didn't stop this line of talk then it was just going to turn into another fight. A fight that Leo wasn't in the mood for, he doubted Raph was either. Leo decided to step closer to a neutral verbal ground.

"So where are you planning on going." Once more he turned his gaze away from his brother, watching him instead, out of his peripheral vision.

"Well, I don't have plans to leave the country if that is what you are getting at." He still sounded somewhat annoyed.

"I'm not judging you Raph, I was just honestly curious."

Raph was quiet a moment, tilting his head to the side in thought. He started to say something several times but stopped before any sound escaped him. Leo could see Raph glancing at him several times but he kept his gaze firmly planted on the city below. He was afraid that if he looked at his brother full on that Raph would clam up again so he opted to wait.

"When I was unconscious I saw things." The need to turn and face Raph was strong but Leo refused allowing his brother to continue. "I only remember some of it and then most of that is hazy as well." There was a long drawn out sigh. "I saw Sensei."

At this Leonardo did turn. In the span of a second Leo felt elated, crushed and a number of other emotions that he couldn't quite describe. Raph met his gaze and then turned away. In an odd role reversal Leo was now the one staring at his brother while Raph refused to look at him, staring at his feet instead.

"I can't tell you what he said 'cause I can't remember but I don't think I was really meant to. I just remember the feelings I had. When he was there I was at peace and everything was so clear to me. I could see just what I had been doing to myself." He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "He gave me a choice; I could have gone with him or come back. Obviously I chose to come back." Raphael gave a very small smile. "The one thing that I remember him saying is that he was proud of us."

Leo nodded his head and quickly closed his eyes against the sting he felt behind them. "I just feel like I have somehow failed."

"Leo, for crying out loud, how do you figure that?!" Raph brought his hands to his own face trying to push away the sudden headache that was threatening him. "Look, your only fault as a leader is your self doubt. Get over it. We have followed you this far and we are all still alive! If it weren't for you and your quick thinking I couldn't count the number of times we would have been killed. Don't you dare start beating your self up over this! If anyone is going to do any beating it will be me and you will know when my fist breaks your nose!"

"Alright!!" Leo actually took a step back from Raph who had took a step closer to him raising a fist in the process. "I concede!"

"Good." Raph dropped his arm again and decided to finally answer one of Leo's earlier questions. "I am going to head out west. Remember that girl I saved from the alley way some time ago?"

"Yeah," Leo nodded.

"Well, she was in that dream too. I don't know if she was real or not but she told me where her family was." Leo cocked his head in a skeptical manner. "Yeah I know. Probably just my imagination but it gives me some place to head for and before you ask I will keep in touch."

"I didn't say anything, but it would be nice if you did. So, what road are you going to take?"

"I'm thinking highway 50."

"The loneliest road in America?"

"I prefer the most scenic road in America, but it is also known as the loneliest road as well. Besides I will run into less people going that rout."

"True, when were you planning on leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"That soon?" Leo was a bit shocked but tried to hide it. Raph just nodded. "Well, have you told the others yet?"

"No, I'm going to go and do that now but I think Mikey already knows."

"Wouldn't doubt it." One thing about their little brother, when it came to the rest of them there was very little he missed.

"I'm going to head back, you coming Leo?"

"No, I'm going to hang out here for a bit longer." Raph gave him a tiny bow and then left him alone on the roof tops of New York.

When Raph stepped into the lair he was greeted by the sound of the tv. Mikey was watching some kind of horror flick with a bowl of popcorn in his lap. Raphael sat down beside him, silently picking up the remote hitting the pause button. Normally this would have caused loud complaints from his little brother but this time nothing was said.

"You're leaving." Two simple words spoken not loud but not quiet either. It felt almost like an accusation to Raph and he had the decency to look guilty for not saying something sooner. He hadn't broken his promise but he had procrastinated till the last possible moment to talk to Mikey.

"Yeah."

"Hmm," was Mikey's noncommittal response. "Figured as much. Seen you working on the bike as well as seen the bag in your room. I'm not stupid."

"Never figured you to be Mikey. I'm leaving tomorrow night." He glanced over at his brother but his expression was still unreadable.

Mikey was instantly angry. His brother waited till the day before to finally tell him that he was leaving. Typical, he wanted to scream at Raph beat him up! But he ended up doing nothing. He just stared at the images frozen on the television screen in front of him absently playing with the popcorn in the bowl. He heard Donnie enter the room from somewhere off on his right.

"Hey Raph, did I hear you say something about you leaving?" Don sounded hesitant and almost scared. Mikey felt bad for him probably because he felt the same.

"Yeah Donnie." When he saw the devastated look on his brothers face he quickly added, "But I am not leaving for good. I'm coming back."

"Why do you have to go in the first place?" Mikey said more forcefully then he had intended. His hurt and anger came out in that one sentence and he knew that it had stung Raph by the slight knitting of his eye ridges. Immediately he felt bad for pushing his brother.

"I don't think I need to explain myself to you." Raph took a deep breath, he shouldn't snap at them. "Look, I am going to take off for a bit. I'm restless." He didn't know how else to describe it and he didn't think he was doing all that good of a job at it either.

Donnie came and sat across from them in the old recliner, head down and looking as if Raph had just told him his computer had crashed. "Look, I'll keep in touch."

"How long will you be gone?" Came Donnie's soft voice.

He hadn't really thought about it before. "I'm not sure."

"Make me a promise," Mikey began slowly, finally looking at his brother. Raph nodded his head once hesitantly and Mikey continued. "Three words, battle nexus championships."

Raph raised an eye ridge questioningly so Mikey continued. "The next one takes place in two years. We only ever went once and I think it is time we go again. You," Mikey poked Raph in the chest to emphasize his point. "Me, rematch and you better be there or I will be the battle nexus champion by default."

A slow smile crept across Raph's face which slowly turned into a deep hearty laugh. The laugh was infectious and soon even Donnie was smiling and laughing softly.

"You're on Mikey." Raph said finally sobering somewhat.

"Now give me my damn remote." Raph didn't argue and handed it over grabbing a handful of popcorn in the process. The movie was stupid but it didn't really matter. The three of them sat in silent watching the thing like they had never seen it before till the wee hours of morning when Leonardo came home. His three brothers had crashed at some point during the show and were now snoring loudly. Leo didn't say anything to disturb them just gently pulled the remote out of Mikey's hand and placing the empty popcorn bowl in a safer position on the old coffee table. He switched the channel to CNN and let the steady drone of the news reporter lure him to his own sleep.

The next day came and it was like any other but there was a shadow that was upon all of them but none of them said anything about it. As soon as Raphael had told April about his pending travel she had invited them over for a family dinner which they had all enjoyed. Casey kept giving Raph advice about where he should go first and where he should stop while April kept insisting that he call her every stop that he made. Raph rolled his eyes but listened to everything that they said with a small smile. It was nice to know that they all cared so much.

Dinner finally ended and it was bitter sweet as they all walked down to the street. Raph had donned his leather pants and coat, when he put on the helmet he looked like any other hard core biker on the road which of course the whole point. There was an awkward moment where no one really knew what to say. April tried to hide it but he had seen she was crying and he embraced her gently and whispered in her ear that he would call as soon as he had to stop for gas. She didn't say anything but he felt her nod her head against his shoulder. It was a strange thought but he wondered exactly when he had surpassed her in height. In fact he was almost as tall as Casey now but not quite. He doubted he would get any taller.

Raph turned to his brothers grasping each by the arm before he turned back to his bike. He swung his leg over and sat himself down in the worn leather seat. He was about to put the helmet on when he caught Mikey out of the corner of his eye.

"Battle nexus, don't forget." Mikey's voice broke slightly.

Raph offered his brother a crooked smile. "I won't forget and you better be ready 'cause this time I'm gonna kick your sorry ass." Mikey smiled and Raph quickly put on the helmet. He quickly turned the engine on satisfied with its loud roar. He glanced back once to his family and smiled, not that they could see it through the dark helmet which was good because it also meant that they couldn't see the unshed tears in his eyes. An excitement that he hadn't felt in long time was pumping adrenalin through his blood. He was suddenly reminded of the first time he held his sai in his hand, the power he felt from the cold steel gave him a heady feeling and he could feel that power again now as he felt the purr of the engine.

He put the bike in gear, pulling off with burning rubber and a wheelie. Raph could imagine his brother's voice in his head muttering about him being a show off which made him smile. A giddy excitement filled Raphael to the brim as he moved out onto the streets. This was it, he was going to take the road as far as it would take him and it would be his adventure, no limitations this time around. The world was laid out before him and the possibilities were endless.

Everyone stood and waited for the bike to disappear completely before anyone moved. They waited until even the sound of the purring engine was a distant memory.

"I'm going out for a bit." Leo didn't wait for a response before he headed up and away towards his second home, the roof tops.

April wiped the tears out of her eyes, annoyed with herself for crying so easily. She looked over to Donnie and Mikey who just seemed so lost. She offered them a gentle smile.

"Come on boys, I stopped at the movie rental place this morning and snatched everything that was even remotely new." At this she could see Mikey's face light up slightly. Probably just happy to have something else to focus on.

"Cool, but do you have popcorn?"

"I have it all! I have popcorn, ice cream, cake, pie, you name it."

"April, you are my hero, what about you Donnie?" Mikey said smiling at his brother.

Donnie just shrugged but he had a small smile on his face as well. "Why not."

They all headed back into the building while Leo was already almost a mile away moving from one building to another like a drifting shadow. He didn't really have a goal or a place where he planned to end up he was just moving and that is when he saw her. It was Karai. He hadn't heard anything from her after that first night in the hospital and a part of him had been worried about her. Without concern for himself or a possible trap he altered his course and headed off in her direction. It was clear that she had seen him because she had also stopped quickly ordering the few ninja who had been with her to leave.

Within moments they were standing facing one another on the same roof. With only the span of a few feet between them they stood, neither saying anything. The silence was heavy and tangible. It felt to Leo as if they were talking without saying a word, but he just couldn't figure out exactly what they were saying. He couldn't take it anymore.

"So, are you okay?" He asked gesturing to her face where there were obvious signs of a few new scars.

"Yes, I am fine." Silence again.

Both opened their mouths to talk but then stopped as soon as they noticed the other.

"Go on Leonardo." Karai offered.

"No, you first," he offered in turn, only because he didn't even know what he wanted to say.

"I am leaving New York." She said softly.

"Oh," he was completely taken by surprise. "How long are you going to be gone?"

She bowed her head slightly. "I am not coming back." When she glanced back up Leo appeared as if she had physically struck him. "You don't have to worry about the Foot anymore. You and your brothers are no longer our enemies and on that you have my word."

He had no idea what to say as his mind was still trying to process the shock so he just nodded his head. "Why are you leaving?"

"There are a number or reasons. A lot of them have to do with my adventure with Donatello." She gave a small humorless laugh. "Almost losing my life has changed a lot of my perspectives. The man who called me his daughter imprisoned my real father somewhere in Japan. There are a number of possibilities where he could be imprisoned and I have to look for him. No matter if he is alive or not I have to find him."

Again he could think of nothing insightful to say and so just nodded his head. Suddenly his problems didn't seem so important.

"The Foot of course is not leaving the city but there will be a number of changes in the way the Foot does business. We will no longer be hired assassins."

"I am happy to hear that Karai I just wished you had realized this a little sooner." He said in a normal voice, hiding the turmoil he felt on the inside.

"So do I Leonardo. I should have listened to you a long time ago." Hesitantly she took a step forward placing her hands on his chest. Their eyes met but she couldn't hold his intense gaze for long and dropped her eyes to her own hands.

"Are you not going to tell me to stay?"

"I can't make that decision for you Karai." He was quiet for a moment. "So when are you leaving?"

"My flight takes off tomorrow morning."

"Of course," he muttered sounding resigned rather than annoyed.

She smiled but it wasn't out of any form of amusement, just tiered acceptance. "We must live the life we weave for ourselves." She whispered but she knew he had heard her. Without asking permission she let herself fall towards him, closing the few inches that separated them. He tensed slightly but then slowly brought his own arms up and encased her with his strength and warmth.

"Karai," he sounded hesitant and she quickly cut him off.

"Just hold me." She should have felt weak for needing, for needing anyone but she didn't. For the first time in years she felt safe and she wasn't ready to give it up just yet. Karai felt his chest rise as he took a long deep breath, his arms tightening around her just slightly.

"Of course."

A/N: Well…so two more parts to go before this story is done. As always, please let me know what you think. By the way, obviously I have made the turtles closer to six foot in this fic cause I just think it's cooler and I'm writing this so, um, there. Don't have a better reason than that. (-: Next part will be 'S.O.S, Save Our Souls' Raphael follows the winding road to places he would have rather not gone to. However, it is some place he needs to go not only for himself but for the sake of those who have no voice of their own. He is after all the true hero.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own the ninja turtles and I am making no money off this story.

A/N: For anyone not familiar with the Nevada landscape, Beatty, Tonopah, Reno, Indian Springs and Winnemucca are real towns. Tonopah has a population of around 1500 people and was founded around the early 1900's as a mining town. I also mention the Mizpah Hotel which was built in 1907-1908 but has been closed for years. It was featured on the History channel about a year ago as one of the most haunted places in America. Driving through the town one gets the impression that it has been abandoned for years, which it essentially has. How it looks today is how I have described it. As to what happens in this chapter, well that is all fiction obviously. (-: There is not a six foot ninja turtle loose in Las Vegas…damn.(-:

* * *

Chapter 13

S.O.S

Save Our Souls

Raphael had been on the road almost four weeks now and loved every minute of it. He was, probably for the first time in his life, taking his time and simply taking in everything that he saw. There was no pressure and no place he had to be and no one telling him how to get there. It was exhilarating.

This isn't to say that he didn't miss his brothers because he did. As promised, he had called April when he hit Clarksburg, West Virginia. He hardly got a word in edge wise as she started chatting at him. It made him laugh at her excitement, but he kept his word with his brothers as well. He had written them a few times just to let them know he was still alive.

At long last he watched as the smooth wind worn red stone of jutting rocks faded as he left the state of Utah for the flat barren expanse of tanned deserts of Nevada. He ventured off highway fifty for interstate fifteen, following the numerous signs leading him to Las Vegas or other wise known as Sin City. A city founded by notorious gangsters such as Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel and shaped by the likes of eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes as well as a number of movie stars and singers from both the forties and fifties.

It was the one history lesson Splinter gave that had caught his imagination. Learning about the gangsters of the early twenties up the early forties was the one part of his history lessons that actually intrigued him some. Enough that he even did a little research on his own about Al Capone, Babyface Nelson as well as the infamous bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde. Indecently, despite the fact that they had been shot down in Louisiana, their 'get away car' the two had died in had a new home in the Whiskey Pete's casino on the outskirts of Vegas. Perhaps if he decided to head towards Las Angels next he would stop just to check it out.

The sun had started to set on Raph and he was momentarily taken aback by the fading light of the sun set. As the sun slowly fell below the distant hills there was an explosion of color and light that danced on scattered clouds. The last light of day was refusing to die quietly; instead it tossed itself up reaching out desperately to the encroaching darkness, not yet willing to pass. Blue, purple, yellow and orange were just a few colors that assaulted Raphael in its splendor but soon even those colors were dimming. He watched in subtle amazement as the world around him slowly fell under the inky blackness of night but it only enhanced the lights of the city he now approached. It was a blinding glow that seemed to generate its own heat, making it about ten degrees higher than the already baking desert.

New York was bright, Las Vegas was blinding. Raphael could not resist and he turned off the main road he was on in order to head towards the Vegas strip. Lights, people, cars and the odd motorcycle traveled at a moderate pace along the towering buildings that seemed to be built to resemble things that they were not. Raph got the feeling he was in a theme park built just for adults as he passed by a casino with two pirate ships shooting at one another. Another casino looked like the streets of Venice while yet another looked like a medieval castle not to mention the black replica of a pyramid with a light the reached all the way into outer space.

Raphael slowed down some as the next casino he was coming up to looked like a mini replica of his home town. Sure enough, the monstrosity was called 'New York, New York' and he almost laughed. It had it all, including the statue of Liberty all toped of with a rollercoaster wrapping around it all like some giant red snake. Mikey came to mind as he watched the coaster wiz by with its screaming occupants, yeah, he would get a kick out of it. There were more and he almost wished he had a camera. Not that his brothers couldn't see all of it online if they wanted to take the time to look it up. Plus they had been to Nevada once before when Donnie was sick looking for Bishop but they hadn't taken the time to look around at anything. There was just some things a picture could not describe, seeing something for ones self can change the perspective in so many ways, something a simple photo could not do. The traditional post card with the generic caption 'wish you were here' came to mind and he thought that it would somehow be rather appropriate.

Eventually the lights began to fade as the space between the casinos began to grow. All to quickly he was leaving the city behind him following signs that were trying to lead him now to Reno. As the road dropped and the artificial lights faded he was embraced by the light of the moon and stars. It was almost a comforting relief to escape that encroaching brightness. He was a ninja after all, he was raised to fight and live in the shadows. Just from the glimpse he had of the city, he was pretty sure that shadows were not something Vegas had much of; an amazingly high electric bill was without a doubt.

The needle on his gas gauge was teetering far closer to the last quarter of a tank for comfort and he pulled off at the first gas station he came to. He noticed a sign that named the town Indian Springs. As he started to top off the tank he looked about himself. It seemed Indian Springs consisted of one building. He walked inside to pay the tab and noted that the building had a number of functions including casino, restaurant, grocery store, gas station all in one place. He just shook his head as he handed over the money and headed out for the road once more.

Everything was gone now; open desert surrounded him on all sides as he drove on. He kept himself just under the speed limit as he looked for abandoned vehicles. Another town was coming up, Tonopah, and he was forced to slow down with the speed limit once again. As he drove he honestly wondered why the speed had dropped so drastically, were they afraid he would get hit by a passing sagebrush? The town itself looked dead and abandoned.

A large five story hotel sat crumbling away from time and neglect. It was such a large building and it immediately caught his imagination. Through broken and boarded up windows he caught a glimpse of what it must have looked like in its hay day. Like something out of the Wild West, a standing testament to a time of cowboys and gun slingers. Unlike the artificial wonder of the city incased in neon lights, this simple rustic building felt far more real to him. Raph allowed a small smile cross his lips as he moved on past homes that looked ready to collapse, probably as old as the hotel.

Again buildings fell away to nothingness; his only guide that he was on the right path was the road atlas in the saddle bags of his bike and the occasional sign naming the next town he would pass. He was perhaps ten miles outside of Beatty when he came upon a car on the side of the road and he slowed down to inspect it.

A part of him felt stupid for following what very well could have been a delusional dream. Yet, he simply couldn't give up on it, if it had been a dream it simply had felt to real to ignore. There just was no way he could just give up on it, no matter how stupid it sounded aloud.

The car was an old sedan with faded paint. At some point it looked as if it had been broken into with one window busted. Raph brought the bike to a stop, shutting off the engine and leaving it on its stand. All four tiers were flat but showed no sign of being tampered with. More than likely it was simply due to the amount of time the vehicle had set out in the elements.

There was nothing, no evidence to suggest this was the vehicle the family had been traveling in. However, something told him he was on the right path. Looking down Raph could just make out the faint impressions of foot prints in the dry alkali based soil. The desert is a lot more fragile than people realize and once disturbed the land would bear its scars for years to come. This for once worked in Raphael's favor as he followed the tracks. They were faded and hard to read but when they suddenly stopped, there was no mistaking the deep tracks of a large vehicle as it cut across the desert and into the hills.

Raphael headed back to his bike at a jog, wasting no time in starting it and heading off in pursuit. It didn't take long until he came across the first set of vehicles protecting dead eyes that watched him silently as he moved past them. The moon was full and the light it offered was oddly bright, brighter than he thought was normal. It was as if someone had turned on a spot light illuminating each horror for him.

His blood began to boil in his veins as he saw that man's face once more in his minds eye. Suddenly killing him once didn't seem like enough. Raph's grip on the handles of his bike was suddenly painful and he forced himself to breath out the tension. It was difficult but he had no choice, he didn't have time to let himself go, he needed to stay in control of himself or he would be no good to anyone. He was slowly beginning to understand the horror Alex had been forced to live and he shuddered.

However, he doubted that there was anyone for him to save this time around. There was no sign of life anywhere about him and as he approached an old house that looked ready to fall in on itself his hopes fell even further. Once again he stopped the bike killing the engine. Slowly he removed his helmet. The cool night air was a welcomed relief from the heat of the day. He was slowly beginning to hate that damn helmet. It distorted his vision and it was stifling. However, he didn't let himself dwell to long on his own discomforts and simply placed the thing down.

There was a truck parked not far away from the main entrance to the home, one door was still left open and he approached carefully. Inside the cab were the obvious remains of a man who had suffered a sliced throat. Dried dusty blood still clung to the inside of the cab, preserved by the dry unforgiving heat of the desert. The fact that the body did not appear to have been ravaged by local wildlife did strike him as odd. Especially with the body being somewhat out in the open, perhaps something had stayed in this place to offer some sort of protection.

Silently he turned away and with heavy steps he walked to the door. It hung loosely on its hinges and he was careful not to knock it down as he pushed forward. Dust fell as the door inched open, so much that Raph felt like he was suddenly caught under a snowfall. Yet, there was nothing light or refreshing about the sand that fell upon him and he quickly covered his eyes and moved inside.

Moonlight spilt into the main part of the house through dirty windows. It was dark but not so dark that Raph couldn't make out his surrounding. He could smell death, old death. It was as he had feared; there was nothing alive in this place other than the odd spider that spun its web in every dark corner it could find. A flash light hung on his belt and he unclipped it holding it in his hand. He was suddenly reluctant to turn it on. There were shapes about the room that he could clearly make out. One sat prone on a chair against the far wall another smaller form lay close to the door.

The potential light that he held in his hand was a weighty thing and he was suddenly reminded of the harsh lights of Vegas. The glaring artificial light that left nothing uncovered, no peace, no privacy no escape.

Slowly but deliberately he re-clipped the flash light to his belt. Raphael couldn't do it. This was a tomb he had stepped into. It had been loss in time and for better or worse, this had become the resting place to these wounded lost souls. To use any light other than the light that nature itself had provided seemed to be far too intrusive. Soon enough the tomb would be disturbed by lights and sirens of another kind. It would be the sound of help finally on its way, years too late but at least it would finally arrive.

Without a sound Raph knelt down to the body of a boy, the dried open wound on the head was clear indication of what had caused the boys death. He wanted to say something but he could think of nothing as his hand hovered over the child's head. Sorrow filled him and he tried to steel himself against it as he finally moved away and towards the second figure. A feeling of helplessness was encroaching on him but he tired to push it away.

As he moved towards the second figure he realized that it was a girl who sat frozen. There were no restraints to hold her down; it was as if she had simply allowed herself to die. The clouds outside drifted over the light of the moon, changing the perspective of the light and that was when he saw every detail of her face. The stitches that held the girl's mouth shut was like a blade that cut deep into Raphael.

Alex had fallen to the ground, one arm raised as the man had approached her, she had screamed tearing the stitches on her lips. That was how he had found her when he ran the man through with his sai. He had died at his feet while the girl reached for him, her savior. Yet somehow he didn't feel as if he had saved her. She was alive, yes, but that man had broken her beyond anyone's ability to repair. Yet she was alive and as long as there was that then there would always be hope.

He had not said anything to his brothers but he had entertained the idea of taking her, bringing her to the lair. Raph had thought that if he was perhaps given enough time he could work with her, maybe he could help her become at least somewhat normal again. Alex had responded to him in her room after all so he wondered if he couldn't have done more for her. Yet, as he looked at the still form of the dead girl he started to realize for the first time just how much he had already done for the Alex. He had played his part and the favor had been paid back to him. If she hadn't been in his dream he doubted that he would have made the right choice. There was a strong chance he would have never connected with his father and he wouldn't have fought for life. Of course a part of him thought for sure it was all in his subconscious mind but he entertained just enough of a possibility that it had really happened that he couldn't completely scratch the idea. After all, he had found her family because of that dream.

He had saved Alex's life but now the rest was up to her and professionals who knew how to handle her broken mind. Her place wasn't with a hot headed mutant, but she had hope and it wasn't like he couldn't keep an eye on her when he got back. That thought alone offered him some measure of peace.

Raphael pulled his sai again from his belt in a move to fast for the eye to follow. The weapon was heavy but it was a perfect fit for him as he pulled it back and then sliced it forward with a hard deliberate stroke. The movement so fast that the air whistled about the steel as it moved.

As quickly as he had drawn the weapon he re-sheathed it in his belt. There was no mark upon the withered dried skin but each thread had been cut and the jaw became slightly slacked. Raphael knew that he was late by several years, but at least he could do this one little thing.

He walked back outside, gazing at the stars, such a peaceful beauty seemed such a contrast to the world he had just stepped out of. Raphael allowed the light breeze to brush away his anger and resentment. There was a part of him that wanted to desperately hold onto these emotions, to rant and rage about the injustice that he had found here but it would do no one any good. He could not change the pass, change the fate of these lost souls, but he could take solace in the fact that the man responsible would never hurt anyone ever again and that at least one of his victims was still alive.

Raphael had stayed there for longer than he should have but he finally moved off. He found a vantage point where he could view everything but stay out of sight himself before he called the local authorities. As expected, it took only a matter of minutes before the first set of flashing lights arrived from the not too distant Tonopah. Silently he watched as an officer walked into the decaying house only to come out again to throw up the contents of his stomach. More followed soon after and finally Raph decided to move on. The children were found and they would have peace at long last.

Once more Raph sat upon his bike and donned the helmet wondering where he wanted to head next. Part of him was thinking about hitting Los Angeles or maybe heading up towards Canada. The possibilities were endless but he opted for LA.

He chanced one last glance back towards the scene below him. "I hope you finally find the peace you were denied in life."

* * *

Miles away in a distant room painted in shades of white, a young girl, almost a woman, blinked her eyes. The simple act causing her slight discomfort due to dryness of her eyes. For the first time she glanced around herself and actually took in her surroundings from her unending perch in a padded chair and smiled. She reached up to her lips and felt the faint scars that lined them.

The door to the room in which she sat creaked open as a nurse came to check on her. Her presence always brought a strong sense of trust and peace to the girl. The woman walked about the room doing her evening check all the while chatting aloud but never expecting an answer from her ward. She placed a gentle hand on the girls arm as she always did every night.

"Sleep well Alex, and if you need anything then just give a shout." Useless words spoken to a girl no one thought could understand but she said them anyway in the hope that perhaps this once she would get an answer but as always there was no response so she turned to go.

"Miss Spencer?" the voice was shaky and weathered from a lack of use but the words were clear enough to be heard by the kindly woman who stopped suddenly, not believing that she had heard anything at all.

"Yes?" she said hesitantly as the girl slowly turned her head towards her.

"May I have a glass of water?"

Those simply words meant so much more than a request for water and Miss Spencer felt tears well up in her eyes as her hart swelled with an odd sort of pride. Slowly, so as not to spook the girl she walked back over to her side and knelt. Leaning forward she wrapped the girl in her arms and felt the arms of the broken girl wrap about her in return for the first time.

"Of course you can have some water Alex." Miss Spencer sat back on her heals as she studied the scarred and beaten face that was smiling back at her. This broken child had become more a daughter to her than just a ward in the past few months. Now she couldn't imagine life without her. They said that there was no hope for her, but Miss Spencer had refused to believe that and so she had vowed that if nothing else she would always be there for this lost child.

"You wait here honey and I will go get you that glass of water."

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A/N: Okay, one more part. Of course Raph has all kinds of wonderful adventures but if I put them all in this story I don't think I would ever finish it! (-: The next part will be Consequences. For every action there is a reaction and for every choice we make there is a subsequent consequence. Each of us must deal with the responsibilities of these actions and it is no different for Leonardo as he must figure out how to deal with the result of his own choices. 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT or Heroes and I am not making any money off this story.

A/N: This will probably be the shortest chapter out of this whole story. I have gone back and forth about including this chapter ever sense I conceived this story. It actually sets up for a possible sequel. Anyway, I finally just decided to do it. You will either like it or hate it but thank you all for reading anyway, especially to Alora05, Polly and Kida Bridger for the reviews. (-: As always, please let me know what you think in a review.

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Chapter 14

Consequences

Raphael had been gone for just over a year now. He kept in touch though which was good. It eased their minds knowing that he was still okay. Apparently he had changed his mind about leaving the country and had headed off to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Raph had told them all about finding Alex's family which had been on the news perhaps two weeks after that. Dental records were matched and a proper funeral was held for all of them.

Karai had held up her end of the bargain and the turtles were enjoying relative peace. Leonardo, as head of his family, signed a contract of peace between the Foot and the Homato clan. There were to be no more battles from either side and the peace had yet to be broken.

Leonardo was headed back home after his evening patrol of the city. Nothing too exciting had happened, just a common mugger and an attempt at a robbery. He would never admit it aloud to his brothers but he almost missed the challenge the Foot offered him, but not enough for the two clans to go to war again.

He had reached the green of central park and stopped amongst the trees. Something didn't seem right. The sound was just above a whisper but years of training had taught him to be prepared for everything. Leonardo spun around just in time to catch an arrow that had been aimed at his head.

There was one thing Leo hated more than anything and that was being shot at without just cause. His grip on the thin wood tightened, not far away from him was the culprit who oddly looked like a Foot ninja, yet the outfit was not exactly the same, however, who he was didn't matter to Leo all that much. The man had made the challenge and there was no way Leonardo would back down. The stiff wood of the arrow suddenly snapped as Leo broke it with the strength of his grip alone.

Without a glace to the broken arrow Leo tossed the shards to the side. It was like a silent conversation between the two warriors as they stared at one another. The ninja turned from his perch, landing on the soft grass without a sound and started to run with a rather angry turtle on his heels.

Leonardo was slightly disappointed when he saw his foe start to run from him but he was undeterred. Obviously this person was a coward and uninformed on his quarry. The chase moved from the streets to the roof tops within a matter of moments but that did little to slow Leonardo.

The two ninjas moved silently through the city. As the distance from their starting point increased Leo became aware of the fact that he was being led somewhere. Yet, even though that fact should have put him more on edge it only served to intrigue him. So he was not all that surprised when he saw the ninja finally come to a stop.

Leonardo followed suit but drew one sword just to be prepared. The other ninja did nothing to defend himself. That is the only thing that stayed Leo's hand. Very slowly so as not to provoke the turtle the man stepped to the side revealing a small basket.

"What is going on?" Leo snapped. He was tired of playing games and just wanted to know if this man was friend or foe. Of course, Leo had a hard time trusting anyone who thought shooting at him was a good way to get his attention.

The man in black said nothing and only offered a deep bow and gestured to the basket once more. Leo looked at it again and it was all the chance his opponent needed. When he looked back up, the man was gone.

"Typical." Leo growled with a shake of his head. He moved forward but refused to put the blade away just incase the ninja came back. However, he was curious as to what was in the basket; he doubted somehow it would have the traditional cheese and wine. A blanket covered the contents and he carefully used the tip of his katana to pull back the cover, and almost dropped the blade.

Leonardo's jaw had hit his chin and if it wasn't attached to his face he was sure it would have ended up in the subway. Inside the basket was two sleeping infants huddled together seeking warmth from one another. It would have been a rather normal picture if not for the green tint to their skin or the fact that they both only had three fingers. Other than that they looked like human children. There was a white envelop with his name written on it setting upon the sleeping forms and he hesitantly reached for it with as much care as possible.

He finally put away the katana in favor of opening the note. Somehow he seriously doubted that the mystery ninja would be back. The writing was done in a clean precise hand, it only had one line on it but it was enough and explained a lot.

'Your son and daughter, Kimiko and Kensei, guard them well. Karai.'

As if on cue one child opened its sleepy eyes and started to cry. Not to be out done by their sibling the second child chimed in. Only one thing came to Leonardo as he watched the two infants.

"Damn…"

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A/N: Okay, as I have said I have toyed with the idea of a sequel but can't make up my mind which way I would like it to go. The options are below. (-: What sequel would you like to read?

1) OMG, stop now! Put down the fic and just walk away. Enough damage has been done, go work on something else…

2) The babies belong to Leo and Karai. Unbeknownst to Karai she has her own mutation in her DNA. With the birth of the children it has triggered this mutation and now she is dying. Unsure what to do she sends her children away to Leonardo while she continues her search for her own father. Saki and Karai's father were partners in an experiment that resulted in Karai's birth. Karai's only chance at survival is to find her real father and the rest of the notes regarding their experiment. It is a race against time and all that Karai can really do is hope against hope that he is still alive…

3) The babies are Leonardo's but they have no connection to Karai. They are actually test tube babies that Bishop created using Leo's DNA. When Bishop tires of the experiment he orders the lives of the children to be terminated. One of the techs cannot follow through with the order and instead smuggles them out of the facility. They know about the liaison between Leo and Karai and use that as a ploy to insure Leonardo's protection over the infants. Bishop is not happy and decides he wants the children back…

4) Karai is on the run with her and Leo's children. After her return to Japan the Foot rebelled against her. The changes that she wanted to make were too much too fast which had caused an uprising, but her fatal mistake was denouncing Saki as both her father and mentor. She was forced into hiding with only a few loyal friends to help her. However, the Foot becomes relentless in their search and now they want both Karai and her children dead. Unable to continue running with two small infants she does the only thing she can think of. Karai hands the infants over to a loyal soldier and friend with instructions to take them to New York to their father while she draws the Foot off in desperate attempt to buy them time…

5) Karai had died shortly after her children are born. She makes sure that they are handed over to their father before she passes. Leonardo finds out about this and is devastated. If not for the two infants there would be little to stop him from falling into the pit of his own despair. Guilt has griped him so hard that he feels himself slipping out of control…

6) Karai does not want to have anything to do with the children. At first Leo thinks she is going back to her old ways but then he realizes that she is only using her indifference as a shield. She is terrified of the choices the alternate 'Karai' had made because on some level she knows that there is a possibility she would make the same decision again. For the sake of the children she sends them to their father as she knows he would never betray them, but that decision to alienate herself from them all is slowly eating away at her and bitter resentment begins to encase her very soul…

And there you go. Let me know what you want me to write…If anything… (-:

And thanks to everyone who has taken time to read this. I really had a lot of fun writing it.

Teoryn


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